Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.
Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.
She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.
The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.
During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).
Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.
Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.
Blonde Women
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll try in vain, you can't explain
The charming, alarming blond women.
They fascinate, they captivate.
Beware the amazing blond women.
Be careful when you meet a sweet blond stranger.
You'll try in vain, you can't explain
The charming, alarming blond women.
In "Blonde Women," Marlene Dietrich warns men to be cautious around the "charming, alarming blond women" who fascinate and captivate them. The song is delivered as a lighthearted warning to men about the seductive power of the fair-haired woman. Dietrich implies that men are powerless in the face of a blonde's spell, as they cannot explain why they are so drawn to them. However, the song's chorus continually emphasizes that blond women must be approached with caution as they may lead men into danger. Overall, the song seems to promote the idea of being wary of superficial beauty and not allowing physical attraction to cloud one's judgment.
Interestingly, Dietrich herself was a well-known blonde bombshell of her time, and her sultry image and powerful on-screen presence meant she was often cast as the object of desire in her movies. Additionally, Dietrich was a feminist who often advocated for gender equality, and "Blonde Women" can be seen as a biting critique of the way society often reduces women to their looks.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll try in vain, you can't explain
Even if you try, you cannot resist the irresistible charm of blonde women.
The charming, alarming blond women.
Blonde women have a unique magnetism; they can be both alluring and intimidating.
They fascinate, they captivate.
Blonde women have an aura that draws people towards them, enthralling them completely.
Beware the amazing blond women.
Be cautious of the spellbinding and spectacular blonde women, they have a way of enchanting you into submission.
Be careful when you meet a sweet blond stranger.
Exercise caution when you encounter a charming blonde stranger; their amiability may conceal a hidden agenda.
You may not know it, but you're reaching danger.
Without realizing it, you may already be in harm's way once you've been captivated by a beautiful blonde woman.
Writer(s): Friedrich Hollaender, Richard Rillo Loebe
Contributed by Zoe L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marguitar1
Her beauty is unmatched!!!!!!!!
@evertondebrito4895
Beautiful!!!
@paulcrees1
Great pictures
@LilyMarleneDietrich
@paulcrees1 Thank you very much!!
@LilyMarleneDietrich
@marguitar1 The charming, alarming blonde women... Thank you ;-)
@premanadi
I've been listening to the German version for years, first time hearing the English! It's better in German...
@WolfHeichele
much better, normally it's vice versa with English ..
@premanadi
@@WolfHeichele Maybe everything is better in the original language.