Henry Hathaway ‘s 1953 thriller was a radical departure for rising star Marilyn Monroe. She portrays Rose, an ice cool newlywed just hitched to George (Joseph Cotten) who’s just been discharged from an army mental hospital, having served in Korea.
She befriends the sweet if vapid Polly and Ray (Jean Peters and Casey Adams) also honeymooning at Niagara Falls. Soon, it emerges that Rose and George’s marriage is already on the rocks and George is harbouring nefarious plans for her.
Monroe and Cotten anchor the film with equally matched performances. They’re both superb. She’s the epitome of world-weariness, bitter and sardonic. He’s toxic, controlling and unyielding in his jealousy.
More femme fatale than her giggling, wiggling airhead of type, this film only serves to show what Monroe could do with perfect direction. It’s an almost Hitchcockian film,and the cooing baby doll roles she was contractually wedged into couldn’t be further away from this. She’s magnificent. It’s wonderful to see the sour side, one that proved that yes, she could do dramatic roles while still retaining her famous sexual allure. If only she’d made more of this calibre.
Hit The North 