The Prince and the Showgirl
Many people have decried Marilyn Monroe after her death for being just a glamorpuss and not an actress - her famed flakiness on the set was excused by the knowledge of her own personal turmoils and compensated by her sensational popularity as a sex symbol. I wish I had more of a context to put this movie into, but I will say that in this picture, Marilyn is an actress, and a good one at that. She plays an actress and a tart often
pursued only for her beauty, and she’s great. Maybe the role touched a nerve for her, but she is really really wonderful here. She’s funny and touching and sincere.
I borrowed the tape from a friend who raved about the movie and even owns it. I find Marilyn Monroe the icon very interesting, but seeing her in this movie, vaguely echoing Kim Novak’s semi-autobiographical parallel
universe thing (from Vertigo), I became convinced that Monroe was reduced to a sex symbol before she ever had a chance to prove she doesn’t just Like It Hot. It’s a shame that the world demanded so much of her that they destroyed her, for we could have had more entertaining movies like this. A website on which I tried to find more information says, “She was luminous, beautiful, sensitive, innocent and knowing all at once.” In this movie, especially. She’s aware of her beauty and the effect is has, but she still plays along with the games men play with her.
Lawrence Olivier directs and costars, filling the movie with her glory and fading (perhaps too much) into her shadow. He recognized what she could do. He uses a lot of sophisticated camera work and interesting long shots, and some great supporting actors whose names elude me now. Rent it, it’s cool.
MPAA Rating Not Rated
Release date 1957
Time in minutes 117
Director Lawrence Olivier
Studio Warner Brothers
