In the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the characters' outcomes are largely determined by their ability to navigate a world obsessed with status and wealth. By the end of the film, the protagonists successfully manipulate these systems to their advantage, while the antagonists and "prestige" characters suffer blows to their dignity or original goals.
### Who ends up better?
* Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe): Lorelei undergoes the most significant transformation in status. She begins as a showgirl engaged to a wealthy but timid man whose father (Esmond Sr.) actively tries to sabotage the relationship. By the end, she has:
* Secured the Fortune: She successfully marries Gus Esmond Jr., securing her financial future.
* Won Over the Enemy: Through a sharp, logical speech, she convinces Esmond Sr. that a woman seeking a rich man is no different from a man seeking a pretty woman. She gains his respect and a lavish wedding.
* Exoneration: She avoids prison and a ruined reputation after being falsely accused of stealing Lady Beekman's diamond tiara.
* Dorothy Shaw (Jane Russell): Dorothy begins as a cynical showgirl who prioritizes physical attraction over money and is perpetually single. By the end, she has:
* Found Love: She marries Ernie Malone, a man she genuinely loves, proving that her romantic ideals can coexist with a happy ending.
* Loyalty Rewarded: Her unwavering loyalty to Lorelei—including a risky and hilarious courtroom impersonation—cements their friendship as the most stable relationship in the film.
* Gus Esmond Jr. (Tommy Noonan): Initially a weak-willed man under his father’s thumb, Gus ends up better by finally marrying the woman he loves. He gains a level of independence from his father’s control, even if he remains within the family’s wealthy bubble.
* Ernie Malone (Elliott Reid): He begins as a cynical private investigator hired to ruin Lorelei's life. He ends up better by abandoning his unsavory job to marry Dorothy, finding personal happiness rather than just a paycheck.
### Who ends up worse?
* Sir Francis "Piggy" Beekman (Charles Coburn): Although he starts as a wealthy, respected diamond mine owner, he ends the film in a state of disgrace.
* Exposed as a Thief: It is revealed in the final act that he was the one who actually stole the tiara back from Lorelei’s room after giving it to her.
* Public Humiliation: He is caught by the private detective at the airport and forced to produce the stolen jewelry, ruining his "gentlemanly" facade.
* Lady Beekman (Norma Varden): While she gets her tiara back, she ends up worse emotionally and socially.
* Betrayal: She discovers that her husband is not only a philanderer who flirted with a younger woman but also a thief who stole from her to cover his tracks.
* The "Loser" of the Conflict: Her attempts to jail Lorelei and assert her social superiority are completely thwarted by the showgirls' superior wit.
* Esmond Sr. (Taylor Holmes): From a purely objective standpoint, he fails in his primary objective. He spends the entire film trying to save his family fortune from a "gold-digger," only to end up paying for a massive double wedding for her. While he is happy in the final scene, he has been "outmaneuvered" by a woman he previously deemed unintelligent.
* The U.S. Olympic Team: Though minor characters, they serve as a comedic "worse" outcome. They spend the Atlantic crossing as the objects of Dorothy's affection, only to be completely abandoned by her the moment she finds a genuine connection with Malone.