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Jane Russell’s Most Memorable Scenes

by Legacy Staff

Hollywood icon Jane Russell died last night at the age of 89. We remember her today by taking a look at five of her classic performances.

Hollywood icon Jane Russell died Feb. 28, 2011, at the age of 89. We remember her today by taking a look at five of her classic performances.

Russell’s first film was Howard Hughes’ The Outlaw, in which she played the voluptuous Rio McDonald, a woman feuded over by fictionalized versions of Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid. The film had a troubled history. It was shot over 9 months (an eternity for a 1940s production), with Howard Hawks signed on as the original helmer before Hughes took the reins two weeks into the shoot (screenwriter Jules Furthman also reputedly directed many scenes). Hughes reportedly felt that the camera wasn’t properly capturing Russell’s impressive bust, so he had a specially designed seamless cantilevered bra made for her, though she opted not to wear it, later dismissing it as a “ridiculous contraption.” The Outlaw was deemed to have violated the Hays Office Production Code, largely because of Hughes’ insistence on so prominently featuring Russell’s breasts. Though the movie was completed in 1941, it wasn’t released until 1943 – and then yanked by censors after a week. By the time it came out again in 1946, all the brouhaha had already made Russell a famous sex symbol.

Though Hughes had signed Russell to a 20-year contract that paid her $1,000 per week, he loaned her to Paramount, where she starred in Westerns and comedies. She was twice teamed with Bob Hope, who famously quipped, “Culture is the ability to describe Jane Russell without moving your hands.” Here she is playing oddly named sexy saloon singer Mike “The Torch” Delroy opposite Hope and Roy Rogers in 1952’s Son of Paleface.

Russell starred as brunette Dorothy Shaw opposite Marilyn Monroe’s titular blonde in Howard Hawks’ classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The picture was originally to star Betty Grable, but the studio opted for Monroe because she would do the picture for less money. Russell enjoyed working with Monroe, saying the latter was very shy and like a little sister to her. During Russell’s standout number “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love,” her plunge into the pool was unscripted.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t include “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Most remember Monroe’s rendition – which would later inspire the video for Madonna’s “Material Girl.” But later Russell’s character Shaw sang the song while in court pretending to be Monroe’s Lorelei Lee. The teaming of Russell and Monroe was so popular that Fox wanted to sign them to do How to Be Very, Very Popular together, but Monroe didn’t like the script. Russell would also produce and star in the sequel, sans Monroe, titled Gentlemen Marry Brunettes.

Capitalizing on her post-Gentlemen popularity, Hughes cast Russell in one of his final RKO productions, 1954’s The French Line. Like Gentlemen, the movie takes place on a cruise ship, and again Russell is looking for love, this time as a millionairess named Mary “Mame” Carson worried men just want her for her money. The film was released in 3D with the tagline “J.R. in 3-D – It’ll knock both your eyes out!” before being amended to the safer “J.R. in 3D – Need we say more?” The Catholic League of Decency still called for a boycott of the movie and some critics dismissed it as “trashy.” Here Russell sings “Lookin’ for Trouble” â€“ one of the most controversial scenes because of the bathing suit she wore. Hughes had originally wanted her to perform in a bikini, but she demurred. After The French Line she told Hughes she wanted no further part in movies where censorship would become an issue.

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