1953 was a very musical year, but my son would never forgive me if I didn’t give Gentlemen Prefer Blonds first place. Still she had lots and lots of tune filled company: The Band Wagon, Calamity Jane, Kiss Me Kate, and Call Me Madam. Still Marilyn was keeping herself company in comedy and dramatic roles all in the same year: How To Marry A Millionaire and Niagara.
Again, some of the best films in several genres are still watched today or drawn upon for remakes. Waves crashed in From Here to Eternity. A statue almost ate a hand in Roman Holiday. Every one still wants Shane to come back. Science fiction and horror got a work out with The War of the Worlds, House of Wax, It Came from Outer Space, The Hitchhiker, and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.
In what seems terribly innocent and silly today, The Moon is Blue, caused a stir due to its comedic and light treatment of illicit sex and seduction. Preminger defied the Breen office and kept all the tongue in cheek risque fun.
Today’s musical possibility is a difficult choice. Marilyn with “Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend”, “The Life That Late I led” or “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Kiss Me Kate, or possibly “Secret Love” from Calamity Jane. Instead it will be the never to be equaled dance sequence to “Dancing In The Dark” between Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse from The Band Wagon and the comic “You’re Just In Love duet between Ethel Merman and Donald O’Connor from Call Me Madam.
