Niagara stars Marilyn Monroe as Rose Loomis. It also stars Joseph Cotton as George Loomis and Jean Peters as Polly Cutler. It was directed by Henry Hathaway. It has good acting and beautiful shots of Niagara Falls.
The movie is about a disturbed and jealous man, George Loomis and his wife Rose, vacationing in Niagara Falls. He is in his room one night, when his wife is attending a party, outside. She request that the DJ play a song for her, called Kiss. She sings and dances to the record, which enrages her husband, who is watching from the window. He comes out and smashes the record, cutting his hand in the process. Polly Cutler, who is staying with her husband, Ray played by Max Showwalter, goes inside and treats George’s hand. He tells her about his wife, and how she drives him crazy, with her actions. She says to just talk to her, and work things out. A little later Polly goes on a tour of the falls and sees Rose Loomis kissing somebody other than her husband. She tells her husband Ray, but they don’t say anything. A little later, Rose receives a note from her lover, saying that he will kill her husband. The note also says that their song, Kiss will play on the bells, when the deed is done. She hears the bells later, and goes to meet her lover. When she is ready to leave, she is told by the police, that they have a body, they believe is her husband. She goes to the morgue, to identify the body. She looks at it and faints, because its her lover’s body. She is hospitalized, but leaves to get away, from her husband, but hears the bells, playing Kiss. She goes to the bell tower, where her husband is waiting, and he kills her. He leaves and steals a boat, belonging to J.C. Kettering, played by Don Wilson; Jack Benny’s announcer. Kettering is Ray Cutler’s boss and took the Cutler’s on a fishing trip. Polly Cutler is still on the boat, when George Loomis steals it. The boat is spotted by the police, and they are in hot pursuit. During the chase, the boat runs out of gas, and starts drifting toward the falls. George floods the boat, so it can ride the current longer. He puts Polly on a rock pile, and shortly thereafter the boat goes over the falls, with George Loomis. Polly is picked up by a helicopter, and taken to safety.
Marilyn Monroe doesn’t do a lot of acting in Niagara. She is mainly eye candy. She does give movie audiences a glimpse of her singing talents, with the song, Kiss. The main stars of this film, are Joseph Cotton as the suffering husband, and Jean Peters as Polly Cutler, the kind and understanding friend to George Loomis. These two work well together, and keep the film moving. They are very good in the climactic Niagara Falls scene, with both of them frantically trying to keep the boat from going over the falls.
The director, Henry Hathaway gets Marilyn Monroe’s beauty to shine in the film. It is particularly evident when she sings Kiss. The shots of Niagara Falls are great. He also manages a gripping climactic scene, before the boat goes over the falls.
This film with the beauty of Marilyn Monroe, who makes the movies she’s in better, and the presence of Joseph Cotton and Jean Peters, makes this a film a worthwhile movie. Don Wilson gives this movie about adultery and murder, a lighter touch, with his portrayal of J. C. Kettering; who gave the Cutler’s a trip to Niagara Falls, because of Ray Cutler’s winning slogan, for his company. Although the film does have its slow moments, the film is a good thriller, to be appreciated.