How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), directed by Jean Negulesco.

Three women (Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable) snag a luxury apartment and use it as a bachelorette pad to trap rich men. Being a romantic comedy, it doesn't work out as expected, but all are made happy in the end. Love triumphs over mercenary motives.

It's pretty light, although the sexual politics are revealing. Just as the stereotypical male cares about only one thing (that being sex, of course), the female cares only about money. Both views are cynical if you take them too literally, but neither are those inclinations entirely nonsensical.

It's part of the Marilyn Monroe box set, although all three women get equal time. Both Bacall and Grable work in mentions of their real-life husbands (Humphrey Bogart and Harry James).

This was the first CinemaScope film, although The Robe (1953) was released first. 2.55:1 aspect ratio. They were still figuring out the lenses; faces appear a bit wide and vertical lines curve inward at the top and bottom.

Lots of New York City cityscape to show off the format, but not many closeups. I don't know if that was because they wanted to make use of the widescreen with group shots or if there was an optical problem in getting too close.

Alfred Newman score with a seven minute visual overture featuring the orchestra itself!

Available on Blu-ray.