The Prince and the Showgirl

As far as odd couples go, Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon have nothing on Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe--at least in terms of being mismatched. He's the Prince Regent of Carpathia and she's an aspiring actress (a third-blonde-from-the-left Gaiety Girl) named Elsie Marina whose paths cross in London, 1911 during the coronation of King George V in this 1957 colorful bit of fluff directed by Olivier. Initially put off by the stuffy Prince (Olivier, at his most reserved, sporting a poor accent), Elsie (Monroe, typically radiant and effortlessly funny) eventually--for reasons not readily apparent to the viewer--warms to the monocle-wearing, tight-sphinctered Prince, with the usual round of obstacles to overcome before the credits roll. With no extras besides subtitles, trailer, and a brief newsreel clip, the DVD does benefit from a sharp, nicely saturated transfer, and features a serviceable Dolby Digital mono sound. Mostly for Monroe fans, this lightweight diversion is an optional purchase. (R. Pitman)