Courtesy of United Artists
Some Like It Hot has been on my radar for a long time. The film stars Hollywood legends Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. The film is directed the legendary Billy Wilder, who directed The Apartment, another classic film starring Jack Lemmon. My expectations were high for this film because for a long time I have heard it is one of the funniest comedies of all time. My expectations were met and even exceeded when watching this film as I can proudly say this is one of the best comedies of all time.
Some Like It Hot is about two musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) who are down on their luck when the police raid a speakeasy owned by Spats Colombo, a member of the Chicago mob. They have no money and are looking for a job. They hear about a job in Florida looking for two musicians, but find out it's only for women. Still looking for a job, Joe and Jerry witness a mob murder and need to get out of town before they get killed. Remembering the job in Florida, Joe and Jerry decide to dress up as women and head to Florida with the band. They meet Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), a singer in the band who drinks constantly and is looking for love. The three of them hit it off and hi-jinks ensues.
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon's chemistry together was fantastic to watch on screen. They really seemed like best friends not just in the movie but in real life as well. Both of them trying to be a woman was hysterical and realistic of what a man would actually do in that situation. Watching the film, you can tell Curtis was apprehensive about doing the role. His body language looked uncomfortable but that's what made it more real. Lemmon seemed to have the time of his life in this role. He seemed comfortable in this role and brought some of the funniest moments in the film, especially his scenes with Osgood Fielding (Joe E. Brown). The final scene between Lemmon and Brown will go down as one of the best endings in movie history.
This was my first Marilyn Monroe film. I was interested to see how she was as an actress. When you think of Marilyn Monroe, people automatically think about her beauty and being a pop culture icon. In this film, Monroe gave a great performance. Her charisma radiated through the screen and for what she was going through during filming, she deserved the Golden Globe award for Best Actress. Monroe suffered through multiple miscarriages before filming began but watching the film, you would never know that. She even sang in the film and to my surprise she has a beautiful voice. Monroe also brings humor to the role, especially in the train scene with Lemmon. Seeing Monroe in this film makes me want to check out more of her work and see her evolution as an actress.
Billy Wilder directed and wrote this film and you can tell. Wilder's films always have top notch banter and Some Like It Hot is no different. Wilder's dialogue keeps the laughs coming and coming and coming until you're laughing so hard you can barely breathe. Even the romantic films between Joe and Sugar are funny, especially when they first meet each other. Joe does a great impression of legendary actor Cary Grant, as his character turns into a snob millionaire because Sugar wants a man like that. Their romance is a great part of the film and will often get overlooked because how funny the film is.
Some Like It Hot is one of the best comedies of all time. The combination of Billy Wilder's directing and writing, the acting from Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon, and the hilarious story make this film a must watch for people who love comedy and movies in general.
What did you think of Some Like It Hot? Leave it in the comments below.
Grade: A+
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