A technological experiment, How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) was the first film shot in the newly developed CinemaScope widescreen process. It was also the first color film to be shown on network television, eight years later in 1961. Directed by Jean Negulesco, How to Marry a Millionaire is a visually stunning production... thanks in part to the sweeping and vibrant cinematography, but most pleasantly due to the ravishing beauty of it's three stars: Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable. Marilyn Monroe is especially great as a near-sighted, ditzy girl who refuses to wear her glasses in front of men (and bumps into things as a result). William Powell is good in a supporting role as well, his second-to-last part before his retirement from acting in 1955.
Three lovely, but broke, young ladies... Schatze Page (Lauren Bacall), Loco Dempsey (Betty Grable) and Pola Debevoise (Marilyn Monroe) have rented an extravagant New York City apartment with a specific plan and objective in mind...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall |
They plan to use their upscale digs as a base for each of them to meet and marry a millionaire...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall |
The girls display their charms...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe |
Each one hoping to meet a man with a large bank account...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Lauren Bacall |
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable |
The girls are supposed to be strictly after money...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe |
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe |
But love keeps finding it's way into the mix...
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe |
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| How to Marry a Millionaire. 1953: Marilyn Monroe |
