This is the film that converted me into a Jack Lemmon fan. Prior to this, I had always wondered what the big deal about Lemmon was, never thinking that he possessed any real acting skill that stood out, even though I really liked his work in The Apartment. Already a pedestrian Wilder admirer, I approached this one with uncertain curiosity. After all, the combination of Wilder and Tony Curtis was enough for me to give it a look. Well, the end result of the story is that the chemistry between Lemmon and Curtis and the overwhelming cuteness of Marilyn Monroe, automatically made this a favourite of mine, and over time it has grown into one of the greatest comedies I've ever seen.
Lemmon and Curtis star as two out of work musicians who, after stumbling upon the famed St. Valentine's Day Massacre, find themselves on the lam from a violent mob. They decide that the best way to escape would be to join an all girls band looking for musicians, and go on tour with them. So, dressed as 'Daphne' and 'Josephine', the two end up in a well-paying gig, and a free ticket out of town. Of course, being around all those women proved to pose a problem for the two, as 'Josephine' finds himself falling for Sugar Kane (Monroe), but can not tell her his true identity and get kicked out of the band. As for 'Daphne', he finds himself being relentlessly pursued by millionaire Osgood. This is just the base of what turns out to be a tangled mess of false identity, that only spirals more and more out of control the longer the two stick around. And of course there's still the mob...
The performances in this film are an example of comedic genius. Lemmon is the real standout, as his comedic timing and sense of humour prove to be one of the most memorable characters I've had the pleasure of viewing. Tony Curtis is also excellent in 3 roles, as his character also adopts another identity as a rich young millionaire to impress Sugar Kane. And Marilyn Munroe portrays such a sweet and innocent Sugar Kane, that I couldn't help but fall for her.
This is my second favourite Wilder-directed film. Another entry in this list will identify my favourite, but this is a very close second. This is a must see for all film lovers, especially those with a developed sense of humour. I think anyone can find this film enjoyable, whether you like it hot or not.
© 2007 Kim Bartlett
Lemmon and Curtis star as two out of work musicians who, after stumbling upon the famed St. Valentine's Day Massacre, find themselves on the lam from a violent mob. They decide that the best way to escape would be to join an all girls band looking for musicians, and go on tour with them. So, dressed as 'Daphne' and 'Josephine', the two end up in a well-paying gig, and a free ticket out of town. Of course, being around all those women proved to pose a problem for the two, as 'Josephine' finds himself falling for Sugar Kane (Monroe), but can not tell her his true identity and get kicked out of the band. As for 'Daphne', he finds himself being relentlessly pursued by millionaire Osgood. This is just the base of what turns out to be a tangled mess of false identity, that only spirals more and more out of control the longer the two stick around. And of course there's still the mob...
The performances in this film are an example of comedic genius. Lemmon is the real standout, as his comedic timing and sense of humour prove to be one of the most memorable characters I've had the pleasure of viewing. Tony Curtis is also excellent in 3 roles, as his character also adopts another identity as a rich young millionaire to impress Sugar Kane. And Marilyn Munroe portrays such a sweet and innocent Sugar Kane, that I couldn't help but fall for her.
This is my second favourite Wilder-directed film. Another entry in this list will identify my favourite, but this is a very close second. This is a must see for all film lovers, especially those with a developed sense of humour. I think anyone can find this film enjoyable, whether you like it hot or not.
© 2007 Kim Bartlett
The line "Well, nobody's perfect!" is one of the best delivered in all of cinema.
ReplyDeleteTony Curtis was wonderful in this movie.
I think it's in my top 50 as well!
Love that line as well. Curtis had already been a favourite of mine, and he is no less magical in this one, but this was my first real Lemmon realisation - and so he stands out most to me.
ReplyDeleteThis really may be one of the few 'perfect' comedies out there. There's a book called "The Critics Got it Wrong" that features bad reviews for great films. There are several that denounce Some Like it Hot as incredibly vulgar and obscene. It's quite a hoot.
ReplyDeleteOh and I think I'm going to post a comment on every one of your top 50.
I don't see how anyone can see this film and not like it. And I also agree with you that it's one of the few 'perfect' comedies.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll most definitely be looking forward to your opinions ;)
Now, I have a theory... I'm convinced there's nobody in the world who dislikes Jack Lemmon. Truly. You just don't hear a bad word about him, ever...
ReplyDeleteThat said... yes, yes, Some Like it Hot is one of those movies that can be summed up with an "all that, and more". One of the perfect comedies, where everything works so perfectly even a self-confessed Marilyn Monroe hater like myself likes her here.
But I still prefer Curtis to Lemmon, if only slightly... great review!
Hmm... I think you have officially motivated me to finish up the reviews for the remaining 16 films in my list, lol well done!
ReplyDeleteAnd while I slightly prefer Lemmon here, I'm definitely more a fan of Curtis overall.