A Month of Mysteries: Niagara (1953)

Niagara (1953) thriller/noir. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Niagara was filmed in Technicolor instead of black and white, like most of the film noirs of the 50s. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters. Along with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire, it helped Monroe become a star.

The film begins when businessman Ray Cutler wins a trip to Niagara Falls. Ray and his wife arrive to find that their reserved cabin has not been vacated by George and Rose Loomis. Rose tells the motel manager and the Cutlers that her husband has not been feeling well and asks them not to wake him, so the Cutlers take another cabin. Rose also confides that George had spent time in a military psychiatric hospital.

On a walk, Polly accidentally sees Rose in the arms of another man at Horseshoe Falls.

In one of my favorite scenes: Back at the motel, Rose, in a sexy hot pink dress, asks some teenagers to play a record of her favorite song, "Kiss." George in a rage storms out of their cabin and smashes the record. Rose tells the Cutlers that George has a bad temper. While Polly tends to George's cut hand, George tells her that he loves Rose, but she is a tramp. Ray joins them, and George says that he gave up his farm because Rose was bored with country life, then volunteered for duty in Korea. He was sent home early with battle fatigue and discovered Rose was having an affair.

In the meantime, Rose calls her lover Ted Patrick, and tells him that they "must put their plan to kill George into action in the morning." Ted agrees. The next day, George, thinking something is up, follows Rose when she goes to buy bus tickets for their trip home. Rose knows she is being followed.. She ducks into the Horseshoe Falls gift shop and loses George. After leaving Rose a card telling her that if things go well, the bell tower will play "Kiss," Ted follows George. Later in the day, Rose asks Polly and Ray if they have seen George. The Cutlers file a missing persons report.  Later that day, the attendant at the Horseshoe Falls finds one rain slicker and one pair of shoes is missing. He informs Inspector James Starkey. Starkey asks Rose and the Cutlers to go with him, where Rose identifies the shoes as George's. While Rose is walking home, she hears the bell tower playing "Kiss" and smiles. Soon, the police discover a body along the shore and ask Rose to identify it.

Will Rose and Ted get away with murder?

This is one of my favorite noir movies. It has Marilyn Monroe and beautiful Niagara Falls for breathtaking scenery. Marilyn's performance as the bad girl was amazing. I do not think any other actress could have done a better job with Rose's character.