Marilyn Monroe in Niagara (1953)

This is the only Marilyn Monroe movie in which her character dies. This was Marilyn Monroe’s first turn at top billing. Even so, per her contract with 20th Century-Fox, she was paid a fixed salary as a stock actor. Her make-up man made more money than she did.

Glamamor.com has a very cool and informative article all about Marilyn’s make-up man and costume designer in this film, from how they got the shade of Marilyn’s red lipstick to the pink dress.

Despite director Henry Hathaway’s opinion that James Mason would have made a better neurotic in the role of the husband, the 1953 New York Times review found Joseph Cotten’s portrayal fine: “He obviously is an overwrought man ravaged by a love he can’t control.”

Jean Peters was the same age as Marilyn Monroe. Before “Niagara,” she played Marlon Brando’s wife in “Viva Zapata.” She made a handful of films after this one (most notably, 1954’s “Three Coins in a Fountain”). She married Howard Hughes in 1957 and retired from acting. They divorced in 1971.

Max Showalter began using the name Casey Adams the year before he played Ray Cutler in “Niagara.” He would continue to be billed as Casey Adams until 1962 when he switched back to his real name.