Niagara
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Written by Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, and Richard Breen
1953/USA
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Ray Cutler: Why don’t you ever get a dress like that?
Polly Cutler: Listen. For a dress like that, you’ve got to start laying plans when you’re about thirteen.[/box]
This entertaining film noir offers Marilyn Monroe a leading role at her most luscious.
A nice all-American young couple, Ray Cutler and his wife Polly (Jean Peters), are taking a belated honeymoon in Niagara Falls. Ray is celebrating winning a contest for best publicity campaign at the cereal company he works for and hopes to meet the CEO, who lives nearby. The Cutlers have been assigned to the best cabin at the motor court. However, they graciously cede it to George Loomis (Joseph Cotten) and his wife Rose (Marilyn Monroe). The Loomises are extending their stay because George is suffering from some unspecified mental problem, obviously including severe depression.
The Cutlers soon discover that George has at least one reason to be depressed. Rose is a man magnet who does not discourage those she attracts. Furthermore, they catch her in a passionate embrace with a young man at the Falls. One night, George snaps in front of all the guests when hearing a record playing Rose’s favorite song, “Kiss”. Polly tends to the cut he got while breaking the record.
Soon the audience finds out that Rose and her lover are plotting a way to rid themselves of old George. Ray finally meets up with CEO and extends the couple’s stay to socialize. Polly, who is the closest thing to a friend that George has, keeps being in the wrong place at the wrong time. With Don Wilson as the CEO.
While I don’t think this is the best noir ever made or anything, I enjoy this movie, mostly for the atmosphere and scenery. It is nice and steamy when Monroe is on screen and the falls look magnificent. If the pacing were better, the plot would make a good thriller but it falls a little flat in that department. Somehow we are one step ahead of the plot all along the way taking the surprise out of a pretty neat twist.
