Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) and her friend Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell) are a pair of showgirls, Dorothy the sassy one looking for true love, Lorelei the blonde hoping to marry a millionaire, with her sights set on Gus Esmond, a wealthy nerd stuck under his father's thumb.

When Lorelei and Dorothy take a transatlantic cruise to Paris, an undercover detective follows to find out if Lorelei is really a gold-digging schemer. Unfortunately, the irrepressible Lorelei is a born flirt and soon finds herself in a compromising position with Sir Francis Beekman (Charles Coburn), owner of a diamond mine. The girls have to use all their wits to get out of trouble and still find love and marriage. Thanks to the talents of the luminous stars and director Howard Hawks, plus stunning technicolor cinematography, 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' emerges as one of the most charming, entertaining musicals of the 1950s. Marilyn Monroe, never more luminous, sings her legendary musical number "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" (which later inspired Madonna's 'Material Girl' video). 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' is based on the hit Broadway musical which was adapted from the book by Anita Loos.