Main Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Casey Adams, Denis O'Dea
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 89 minutes
Plot
Belated honeymooners Polly (Jean Peters) and Ray Cutler (Casey Adams) arrive at their Niagara Falls cottage only to find that Rose (Marilyn Monroe) and George Loomis (Joseph Cotten) have not yet checked out. Though the Cutlers temporarily take another cabin, the lives of the two couples are bound together for the next two days. Polly discovers that Rose is having an affair and that George, though emotionally unstable, has good reason for his jealous rage. George accurately suspects that Rose openly flaunts her sexuality to make him act crazy in front of witnesses. This is part of Rose's plan: her lover Patrick (Richard Allan) will kill George and make it look like suicide or a disappearance. Instead, George kills Patrick, and he returns to kill Rose, but finds Polly instead. As she had been sympathetic to him, he asks her not to tell anyone that he is alive so he can simply disappear. But, realizing that he wants to kill Rose, Polly informs the police. What follows is escalating terror, with George stalking Rose, Rose desperately trying to leave town, the police searching for both of them, and finally George and Polly adrift in a boat heading for the precipice. In Henry Hathaway's Technicolor film noir, Niagara Falls serves as an apt metaphor for the destructive power of out-of-control carnal and murderous obsessions. ~ Steve Press, All Movie Guide
Review
Launched with a memorable ad campaign featuring water cascading over Marilyn Monroe's curvaceous body, Niagara helped to cement Monroe's status as a box office draw. It also afforded her the chance to play a change-of-pace part. While the character still uses sexuality in an overt manner, she's no dumb blonde. Conniving and cold-blooded, the role calls for Monroe to sacrifice her famous vulnerability, using it only to manipulate the others around her rather than the audience, and she comes through in spades. While her performance lacks a great deal of variety, that's essentially due to flaws in the script and character. Joseph Cotten turns in another of his intense, dark and disturbed portrayals, and while he too is hampered by the script, it's an effective performance. The lack of dimension in the characters is regrettable but not overly damaging, as director Henry Hathaway keeps the tension high, even during some moments when the credibility of the situation is in question. Most memorable are the stalking sequence in the clock tower and the finale, both of which are exciting and very well handled. Most importantly, the film makes great use of the falls themselves, both in a "travelogue" sense and in terms of using the location to create and maintain atmosphere. Too flawed to be the kind of Hitchcockian thriller it aspires to be, Niagara nevertheless provides solid chills and entertainment. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
