49 - MARILYN MONROE AND JOSEPH COTTEN

MARILYN MONROE AND JOSEPH COTTEN Scene from Henry Hathaway’s film “Niagara,” 1953. Photograph, vintage silver print, credits below the image and annotated on the back. 25.5 x 20.7 cm. Very slight signs of handling. Note: Directed by Henry Hathaway in 1953, “Niagara” is a Technicolor film noir set against the spectacular backdrop of the famous falls. Marilyn Monroe plays Rose Loomis, a sensual and manipulative young woman who, along with her lover, plans to murder her husband George—a jealous and psychologically fragile veteran played by Joseph Cotten. Their destructive marriage draws the characters into a series of betrayals, murders, and acts of revenge, while the violence of the falls mirrors that of their passions. In a role that stands in stark contrast to her later comedic parts, Marilyn Monroe portrays a true femme fatale here. Starring in a leading role for the first time, she rose to international stardom with *Niagara*; her figure, her brightly colored dresses, and her performance of the song “Kiss” made a lasting contribution to her iconic image. A few traces of manipulation, some visible only against the light.