8mm Forum: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

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Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on April 22, 2010, 01:23 PM:

Excellent Ken Films cutdown of Howard Hawks’ 1953 musical.

Digests of musicals generally fall into two categories. Forget the plot and feature the songs, or try for a synopsis and include sections of the musical numbers. This Ken Films digest (released in June 1975) is of the latter type, choosing (wisely, in my opinion) to concentrate on the Lorelei plot line while featuring four songs, two of them complete.

We start off with showgirls Dorothy (Jane Russell) and Lorelei (Marilyn Monroe) singing “Little Girl from Little Rock”. Title credits follow. Backstage, Lorelei tells Dorothy that she thinks her boyfriend Gus Esmond will propose tonight. Gus (Tommy Noonan) does, saying they’ll cruise to Paris and get married there. He’s called away to take a phone call from his wealthy father, prompting Dorothy to remark how Mr. Esmond Sr. will never let his son marry Lorelei.

Cut to the stateroom on the cruise ship, where Gus tells her they’ll meet in Paris. Lorelei sings “Bye Bye Baby” (a short snippet). The two women continue on to France.

The digest cuts straight to Paris, bypassing all the antics on the ship with Malone (a private eye hired by Gus’ father), diamond mine owner Sir “Piggy” Beekman and a tiara belonging to Lady Beekman.. Although these are major plot points in the feature, they aren’t needed to enjoy the cutdown.

After a montage of Paris (and a shopping spree), the showgirls arrive at their hotel only to learn from Malone that their reservation and letter of credit have been cancelled. In low spirits at a café, they sing “When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right)”. This attracts a crowd and we next see them headlining at a nightclub. With both Esmond Sr. and Jr. in the audience, Lorelei sings “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend” (entire number).

Later that evening, Lorelei stands up to Esmond Sr.

Esmond Sr.: Have you got the nerve to tell me you don't want to marry my son for his money?
Lorelei: It’s true.
Esmond Sr.: Then what do you want to marry him for?
Lorelei: I want to marry him for YOUR money…. Don't you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn't marry a girl just because she's pretty, but my goodness, doesn't it help?
Esmond Sr.: Say, they told me you were stupid! You certainly don't seem stupid to me!
Lorelei: I can be smart when I need to be.

Dad gives his blessing and we cut to a double wedding. Dorothy is marrying Malone, who appeared briefly in the hotel scene. The two leads reprise “Little Girl from Little Rock” as they walk down the aisle. Dissolve to the original “The End” title.

Although Jane Russell gets shortchanged in the edit, there’s only so much material that can be included in a 400 footer and this is a very satisfying condensed version of the feature.
My print has slight fade, but still has strong colors. The “Diamond” number looks terrific. Audio and contrast are both fine. Ken does something here it should have done more often. When “The End” title fades out, the music is allowed to continue for a few seconds till the score is finished. No abrupt music cuts here!

Doug

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on April 22, 2010, 02:07 PM:

A very excellent review Douglas! With great screen shots as well.

I believe this was in Ken Film's second round of 400 foot color/sound digests. In the first round, which included "The Posiedon Adventure", there were more abrupt cuts and some choppy sound editing. It seems that Ken editors improved a little more with each batch of digests. By the time "Alien" and "Empire Strikes Back" digests were released, they had pretty much mastered the craft.

While this appears to be a good print, I believe Derann released the Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend 200 foot segment a few years back, and the print is beautiful, and low fade, of course. If I get a chance to borrow this print again, I'll post some shots.

James.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on April 22, 2010, 03:03 PM:

Nice to read your review Doug.

This is what I need when reading the Digest review, i.e concentrating on how the edit is made (editing issue) not the whole story (becuase for this we can read through imdb). By reading this style of reveiewing then we can decide wether to keep eye on it at Ebay or to leave it go.

And the screen shots also do help to understand how the print looks like.

Now, I am waiting for "Battlestar Galactica"...I never forget this [Wink]

regards

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on May 22, 2010, 01:05 AM:

I have the 200ft version and I have owned it for about 30 years. Oh how bright those blues once were! Mine has faded, but does still retain some colour.

At least the main song "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" will always look good - it was all shot in pink to begin with. This was one of the very last Fox non-scope films.

I wonder why Ken/Fox never released Niagara? It could have doubled as a travelogue of the Falls and Marilyn.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on May 22, 2010, 09:00 AM:

Thanks for that great review Doug.
This was one of the first digests that I purchased when I started super 8mm film collecting back in the 70's, and I was delighted with it then- and I still am. The film really captures Marilyn's goofy charm and sex appeal, and the Diamonds number is a knockout. I think this was a great editing job by Ken Films, definately one of their best. The scene described in detail by Doug (above) never fails to make my wife laugh out loud!
I also have the Derann 200ft reel of the Diamonds number , and the quality is really superb, razor sharp with deep rich color saturation, and on low fade stock. Might not be a bad idea to substitute it into the 400ft digest, although maybe the difference in film print quality would be too noticeable.
Come to think of it, I need to get this film on DVD- I have never seen the complete feature!

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on May 23, 2010, 12:45 PM:

Nice, Doug, I remember we screened that one in Wildwood. The abbreviation is an excellent souvenir of the film, and a good reminder of that lush beautiful style.

Claus.

Posted by Greg Marshall (Member # 1268) on May 23, 2010, 06:06 PM:

I have, and love, this digest... on of the best, in my opinion. Color has held up very well, hardly any fade at all.

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on June 09, 2010, 07:26 AM:

Just got a new Derann print of the 200ft digest....with the complete Diamonds number. Color to die for...lush, bright...vivid...and the print is super sharp. Very much like it must have looked on its original 35mm release. I've already run the thing five times....it's such a pleasure to see a print so perfect. Makes my old Ken 200 footer look like a piece of junk.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on June 15, 2010, 07:57 AM:

I like when she's stuck in the porthole

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on June 27, 2010, 02:15 AM:

Do you notice in thew Diamonds number after she is lifted up her hair springs out at one side, next scene it is perfect again! Wonder how many different takes were shot to produce this one seemless looking sequence?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 02, 2014, 01:08 PM:

I just received a digest of this that I thoroughly pleased with, (though I rarely bother with digests), and I thought I'd do a "digest" review of it, (anybody who knows my reviews will understand that!)

This begins with the Fox logo (naturally) and immediately goes into the beginning song, "Two Girls From Little Rock" a rollicking, fun number. The digest itself does a fairly nice job of telling the story. Marilyn wants to marry her egg headed boyfriend, (he's rich, though), he's putting it off. He makes a trip to France avaialable with a line of credit for her. Marilyn and her best friend, (the lovely Jane Russell) go over to France, only to find that they're line of credit has been cancelled and they are left high and dry in France.

With no cash, they decide to do what they do best, get back on the stage for live shows. The Boyfriend comes to France and finds out quite by accident that Marilyn is on the stage. They get back together and Marilyn manages to convince the young lads father that she has as much right to go for a rich husband, as a rich fellow has the right to go after the best looking lady out there. The digest ends with both Marilyn and Russell, walking down the aisle to get married, as they are both getting married, (Russell's subplot of getting a boyfriend is left out entire).

This digest has the smart idea to mainly focus on the music and the highlight of this 400ft 16 minute digest is the full song "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend", Marilyn's famous song from the hit film.

The print ...

COLOR

The color is outstanding on this print I have. I get the feeling that this was printed on early generation LPP film stock, but not labeled as such, as the color hasn't faded a bit after all these year. Perfects blacks and spot on colors.

IMAGE

Very little grain problem to this print. It's taken from a good negative in that regard. it doesn't have a dupey looking quality to it ...

HOWEVER ...

The negative that this was struck from shows numerous points of wear, it the white speckling on the right hand side that comes and goes throughout the print. A little annoying, but what can you do about it?

Another curious thing about the image, there are some spots where, apparently, film was spiled in from non Technicolor sources, and you'll have perfect color, (as in the café scene) and then the very next shot looks VERY faded, very reddish, the next shot after that? Right back to Technicolor. Fortunately, "Diamonds" doesn't suffer from that.

The so sound is a very passable mono, but I think I'll get a copy of the DVD and re-record the audio.

Long Live Super 8!!

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on January 02, 2014, 01:33 PM:

I still like her stuck in the porthole

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 13, 2014, 01:22 PM:

Does anybody have the 200ft version of this? I'd like to know if there is any different footage that is not in the 400ft version?

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on January 16, 2014, 08:24 AM:

Nice that Doug.
Have a nice print so may do a re dub myself as well. The Ken tracks always seem a bit tin sounding.
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