Some Like It Hot (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Okay. So a few years ago, the American Film Institute declared 1959's 'Some Like It Hot' (directed & co-written by Billy Wilder) to be the funniest movie ever. And you know, while that certainly may have been true upon its release, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's true now. It offers a different type of humor - based upon wild farce, screwball execution, zippy one-liners & double entendres - which brought me many smiles & quiet chuckles rather than guttural laughs. Still, I appreciate the wit in the script, the virtuoso performances from Jack Lemmon/Tony Curtis as women, & Marilyn Monroe's iconic Sugar Kane -- it's a stellar comedy.
Set in the Prohibition era, Lemmon & Curtis star as 2 struggling musicians who find themselves a target of the mob after inadvertently witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Fearing that they'll be next on the mob's hit list, they decide to scram outta town, but quickly realize that they haven't got enough $$ to go very far. So, they take a job that will take them to faraway sunny Florida. The only catch? The job is open to women only. Desperate, our 2 leads dress up like women & assume new personas: Josephine & Daphne (watching them parade around in heels & speak in a higher octave is hysterical).
As Daphne, Jack Lemmon must fend off the unwanted affection of a wealthy old bachelor (Joe E. Brown) while Tony Curtis' Josephine assumes yet another identity as a dashing young playboy when he meets and falls for a beautiful singer in the womens-only troupe they joined. She is Sugar Kane (the voluptuous Monroe). Meanwhile, the plot gets thicker when the Chicago mob shows up at the same Florida hotel that the band is at for a conference with other gang leaders. Bloodshed, humor & romance ensue; along with the memorable last line, "Nobody's perfect".
Though 'Some Like It Hot' is seen as a comedy classic, I believe it was made to be just a fun, breezy entertainment. There's nothing expansive about it (saying little about cross-dressing or gender bending, for example). It just goes for smart laughs & executes very well. The performances are all fantastic; particularly Jack Lemmon in what became his big, star-making role. Curtis is very good in the 'straighter' role. He's not as comfortable with the situation as Lemmon is. And I think it's important to have one of the 2 leads be not as comfy in their newfound skin as the other.
And what can you say about Marilyn Monroe. 2011's My Week with Marilyn showcased Marilyn's behind-the-scene issues on the set of Laurence Olivier's The Prince & the Showgirl. And, apparently, her antics on the set of 'Some Like it Hot' were similar (lateness to the set, insecurities, illness). But you know what, it doesn't matter. Marilyn was no thespian, but she had more presence, vulnerability & charisma than most trained actresses could ever hope for.
Technically, 'Some Like it Hot' is impressive, as well. The comedic timing is bang on; molded by some astute editing choices. The black-&-white cinematography & production design really sets a certain mood/tone. Orry-Kelly's costumes are superb - I'm thinking, not only about Lemmon/Curtis' female frocks, but of Marilyn Monroe's WOWZA dresses which, shall we say, emphasize her impressive figure. And as mentioned, the screenplay is just chock full of wit, sarcasm, poignancy, funny scenarios, & clever dialogue. When I think of so-called "comedies" today, I cringe at what now passes for humor. So again, while I was not enraptured by 'Some Like it Hot', I did find it refreshing to watch a movie whose laughs came from writers with a brain, and from actors with a true 'sense' of humor.
Set in the Prohibition era, Lemmon & Curtis star as 2 struggling musicians who find themselves a target of the mob after inadvertently witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Fearing that they'll be next on the mob's hit list, they decide to scram outta town, but quickly realize that they haven't got enough $$ to go very far. So, they take a job that will take them to faraway sunny Florida. The only catch? The job is open to women only. Desperate, our 2 leads dress up like women & assume new personas: Josephine & Daphne (watching them parade around in heels & speak in a higher octave is hysterical).
As Daphne, Jack Lemmon must fend off the unwanted affection of a wealthy old bachelor (Joe E. Brown) while Tony Curtis' Josephine assumes yet another identity as a dashing young playboy when he meets and falls for a beautiful singer in the womens-only troupe they joined. She is Sugar Kane (the voluptuous Monroe). Meanwhile, the plot gets thicker when the Chicago mob shows up at the same Florida hotel that the band is at for a conference with other gang leaders. Bloodshed, humor & romance ensue; along with the memorable last line, "Nobody's perfect".
Though 'Some Like It Hot' is seen as a comedy classic, I believe it was made to be just a fun, breezy entertainment. There's nothing expansive about it (saying little about cross-dressing or gender bending, for example). It just goes for smart laughs & executes very well. The performances are all fantastic; particularly Jack Lemmon in what became his big, star-making role. Curtis is very good in the 'straighter' role. He's not as comfortable with the situation as Lemmon is. And I think it's important to have one of the 2 leads be not as comfy in their newfound skin as the other.
And what can you say about Marilyn Monroe. 2011's My Week with Marilyn showcased Marilyn's behind-the-scene issues on the set of Laurence Olivier's The Prince & the Showgirl. And, apparently, her antics on the set of 'Some Like it Hot' were similar (lateness to the set, insecurities, illness). But you know what, it doesn't matter. Marilyn was no thespian, but she had more presence, vulnerability & charisma than most trained actresses could ever hope for.
Technically, 'Some Like it Hot' is impressive, as well. The comedic timing is bang on; molded by some astute editing choices. The black-&-white cinematography & production design really sets a certain mood/tone. Orry-Kelly's costumes are superb - I'm thinking, not only about Lemmon/Curtis' female frocks, but of Marilyn Monroe's WOWZA dresses which, shall we say, emphasize her impressive figure. And as mentioned, the screenplay is just chock full of wit, sarcasm, poignancy, funny scenarios, & clever dialogue. When I think of so-called "comedies" today, I cringe at what now passes for humor. So again, while I was not enraptured by 'Some Like it Hot', I did find it refreshing to watch a movie whose laughs came from writers with a brain, and from actors with a true 'sense' of humor.