Marilyn Monroe: Niagara
Queen's Film Theatre presents Niagara (1953) starring Marilyn Monroe, as part of a season celebrating the star's 100th birthday.
The first of three major breakout roles for Marilyn Monroe in 1953, Henry Hathaway’s film-noir is brimming with suspense, sex, and the overwhelming din of the Falls.
Set against the roaring backdrop of Niagara Falls, the film revolves around Monroe, a femme fatale with secret, murderous plans for her older husband (Joseph Cotten), and a honeymooning young couple who become entangled in her ill-fated scheme.
Niagara was famous for having the “longest walk” in the history of cinema: 116 feet of film dedicated to a single shot of Monroe walking away from the camera. Billed as the “Tantalizing Temptress” in the film’s advertisements, Monroe was now a bona fide sex symbol.
After Monroe’s death in 1962, Andy Warhol used a publicity still from Niagara to create his iconic screen portrait of the actress, crystalising Monroe’s image in the public memory.
Screening as part of Marilyn Monroe 100 at QFT, a season celebrating 100 years of a screen icon.
