Sunday, March 13, 2011

Some Like it Hot (1959)


And here we have a bona fide classic, the AFI's #1 comedy of all time. Some Like It Hot, Billy Wilder's classic comedy about gangsters, cross-dressing, and dumb blonds.

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are Joe and Jerry, two down on their luck musicians who have recently lost their job playing with a band in a speakeasy. When they witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and become the target of the mob, they're forced to dress as Josephine and Daphne and take a job with an all-girl band. The band's singer Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) soon becomes the center of both love and lust for the two men.

The film is obviously, a very funny film. The dialogue sparkles and the three leads are all brilliant at bringing out the humor from each of their characters. Marilyn Monroe may not be regarded as a particularly talented actress (I haven't seen enough to make a real judgment myself), but she's wonderful here. She's so ditzy and earnest that you buy that these two characters are able to pass as two ugly woman.

There's not much to say about the film that hasn't already been said, it's a brilliant and funny film that is able to sneak in some interest commentary on gender as well. Definitely one you need to watch.