Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
(1953, dir. Howard Hawks, 91 mins.) | Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe

Two American showgirls in the mood for love board a luxury liner to Paris. Engaged to be married Lorelei (Monroe) is unknowingly tracked by a private investigator hired by her future father-in-law. But the detective only has eyes for her brunette friend, Dorothy (Russell). Russell’s flat sarcasm and Monroe’s social-climber put-on make them a delightful team, and Monroe delivers one of her best comic performances. Underneath there’s also a touching tale of friendship tested and Hawks’ clever take on gender politics. The famous musical numbers dazzle with rich colors and wink-wink lyrics, including the eye-popping number that inspired 1,000 Madonnas, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." Restored 35 mm film print courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.. or Criterion Pictures, USA
La Cucaracha
(1934, 35mm, dir. Lloyd Corrigan, 20 mins.) | Steffi Duna, Don Alvarado This lighthearted short was designed to highlight the expressive potential of the then-new 3-strip Technicolor process with its larger than life musical "South-of-the-Border" exotica. The plot: a Mexico City nightclub dancer angers his singer girlfriend, who then upstages him at an audition with a spirited rendition of the title song. La Cucaracha’s popularity helped persuade Hollywood to begin investing in feature-length Technicolor films. 35 mm film print courtesy of Eric Grayson.
Winter Nights 2012 is sponsored by Community Health Network.
Promotional support provided by Nuvo.