Niagara

Hampered by a major miscasting: Showalter plays it like he's John Agar's goofy kid brother (and he seems to have shown up thinking the thing was gonna be a comedy). Marilyn's singalong to the "Kiss Me" song is an oddly touching highlight. Features some astounding shots, especially in the bell tower (looked like something from Metropolis). And the constant brooding presence of the falls becomes strangely quite menacing. By the way, did they only hire idiots at that shredded-wheat plant?

This is a film noir that works in colour, mainly because of its breathtaking views. (I speak of both the falls and Marilyn, of course) The acting is fairly good, especially my hero Joseph Cotten, but Max Showalter was such a dumb asshole I wanted to punch him. I also enjoyed comparing the bell tower sequence to the climax of Vertigo, and speaking as a Canadian, it was also a bit of a fun history lesson to compare modern Niagara Falls to the Niagara Falls of the 1950s.

Even though it was pretty predictable it was fun to watch and the Niagara falls setting is used to good effect. The two leading ladies do a good job but their male counterparts do merely ok, more because the roles are underwritten than any real acting flaws. And that's kind of the whole film in a nutshell, strong moments and well paced but nothing particularly special.

Enjoyed this thriller very much. Monroe is terrific in this. Recommended.

Watch it for a sizzling Marilyn Monroe. In glorious Technicolor.

In spite of the half-hearted attempt of a few screenplay lines, the sublime Niagara setting doesn't become a symbol for the action of the story, but merely dwarfs it. Monroe is okay, and Peters isn't bad either, but Cotten mopes and lurches through a part that cries out for Robert Ryan, and Max Showalter is his usual, creepy pop-eyed self. Exception: the close-ups of the bells in the bell tower at a crucial moment produce a moving and memorable effect. (Unlike the rest of the film.)

Pretty.......but stupid. I'm uncertain which has a more lasting effect.

Pretty run-of-the-mill noir, barely surfacing above the others due to the eye-popping Technicolor location of Niagara Falls (and Monroe in every scene she's in). It felt like it could have moved up a level with just a few minor edits.

Pretty straightforward, the movie generally works, yet nothing really stands out.

Hard to say a movie went on too long but it certainly felt that way for a while after Marilyn Monroe died, until we got to an even better climax with the boat at the waterfall. Yes, it's predictable, but we're getting full value from the Niagara Falls vista (shot on location!). Don't forget Marilyn Monroe in Technicolor and Jean Peters isn't bad to look at either. The famous Monroe walking away scene could have gone on for another minute. Male chars were lame. Fav scene: stairway chase.

Well what do you know, not all of Marilyn's starring vehicles suck

A really cool and gorgeous Technicolour vacation noir with some great performances and also Max Showalter is there. Felt like the script needed a couple more passes to fix the pacing and emphasise the important elements, and it’s frequently unintentionally very funny, but when it hits it really hits.

A flawed but enjoyable film, featuring a fabulous performance by Marilyn Monroe in one of her too-few opportunities at breaking type. The plot is intriguing, & the twist brings a different feel to the second half where it feels less like a murder mystery & more like a revenge story. Rose is a hate-worthy villain, George is a sympathetic but clearly iffy antihero, & Polly is a decent female heroine for the era. Good performances, good setting, though it sometimes loses steam between big moments.

Niagara Falls works very well here as the setting for a noir film. Cotten, Monroe and Peters are all very appealing in portraying their characters. Showalter, however, as Ray Cutler is too much of a doofus for my liking. George killing Rose in the bell tower is a highlight - visually superb - and the finale is genuinely gripping. Cotten constructing a model car is a nice homage (likely not intended) to his portrayal of Eugene Morgan in 'The Magnificent Ambersons'.

Been trying to see this one for years, and I really liked it. Monroe was fine in her part, but I really liked Jean Peters. Great thriller that felt like a Hitchcock but wasn't.

a hell of a thing to stare it

Viewed August 1, 2019.

Mostly a vehicle for Monroe and well.. the Niagara Fall, this noir in technicolor has a very predictable Hitchcockian plot. Monroe could be good, but in this she's at her worst most stereotypical blonde bombshell. Cotten's character is badly underwritten, it doesn't helpt that Cotten is phoning it in. Only Jean Peters is halfway decent. It has some great shots that are more reminiscent of Douglas Sirk movies than a black and white noir, but also many horrible fake studio shots.

The quality was as if it was filmed just recently!

Hathaway uses the location to great effect, and he also pulls off some amazing shots (the bell tower scene is stunning, worthy of Hitchcock). Despite being in Technicolor, the film maintains a noirish feel for the most part. Cotten and Monroe are both excellent, and supporting actress Jean Peters is fine too. There are a few niggling plot holes, and the tension during the climax is diminished by the blatant artificiality of the setting, but otherwise it's a solid thriller with a lot of oomph.

Wasn't wowed by this one. I found it somewhat ironic that a noir made in glorious technicolor ended up being so black-and-white in terms of morality and character motivation. All four of the main characters are very one-dimensional and the plot is riddled with inconsistencies. Some nice photography though, and the scene in the bell tower is exceptional.

Revisited on 21st december of 2021

perfect set for such a thriller; the lead role is not Monroe but Niagara Falls. Of course Monroe is beautiful as always and she manages to sing even in a thriller movie...

first two acts border on a little boring, hokey, and melodramatic, but even that can't stop the fact that the third act is kinda insane?

Quite a good story with a great backdrop the characters are pretty stereotypical - even Monroe and she outshines the others (maybe even to the detriment of the story itself)

average suspense story might have had a good shape in Hitchcock's hands

A mediocre noir at best, but anyone who ever doubted Marilyn Monroe's acting abilities should give this one a go. She's a thrill to watch, and not just because she looks great.

Niagara was a good movie with some good cinematography. The acting was pretty good but I thought Max Showalter's incessant smiling was distracting. I think this is the first movie that I have watched with Marilyn Monroe but she seemed to do a pretty good job. She isn't the best actress in the world but she did seem pretty good. I would definitely watch this movie again. I would like to focus more on the cinematography next time and other moments that seemed to pass over my head.

Whats wrong with these people!

Watchable, but disappointing on reflection. No suspense, as everything turns out to be exactly as it appears. I like Marilyn Monroe, but here she is just a double-crossing seductress with no depth. Nobody is likable, including the honeymoon woman who fills the role of the witness who sees all but no one believes her. Not that there's much to believe or doubt, since, again, the plot is clear and linear and nothing changes. Very Hitchcock-like to me, and I don't mean that as a compliment.

Pretty decent suspense. Good push and pull between Marilyn's character and her husband so you don't know who to root for. Typical 50's ending.