[tschock]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Niagara (1953). dir. Henry Hathaway, starring Joseph Cotten and Marilyn Monroe. An atypical noir film, shot in glorious three-strip technicolor. Marilyn Monroe shines here as the archetypal femme fatale, flourishing with the opportunity to play something other than the stereotypical dumb blonde. Though critics at the time were not impressed with the acting in the film, focusing instead on the beauty of the falls, and Monroe's ample curves, I think both leads are quite convincing. Cotten, known for his performances in such heavyweight films as The Third Man, Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, is electric as the paranoid husband. And Monroe, demonstrating subtle nuances to her acting at times, wields her sexuality with deadly precision. I've always found it sad that she was so limited, early in her career, in the kinds of roles she was given. That was Twentieth Century Fox, and the media, telling her what her "place" was in the grand scheme of things. This is a big reason why she fought to create her own production company. Niagara hinted at what she was capable of. Of course, it would be a few more years until Marilyn hit her stride as an actress, perfecting her comedic timing in Some Like it Hot.

Great movie, IMO. Monroe was VERY underrated and Cotten is one of the greats. I think it was only recently that this movie became available (last 4-5 years?).