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When Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness a gangland shooting, they quickly board a southbound train to Florida, disguised as Josephine and Daphne, the twonewestand homeliestmembers of an all-girl jazz band. Their cover is perfect...until a lovelorn singer (Marilyn Monroe) falls for Josephine, an ancient playboy (Joe E. Brown) falls for Daphne, and a mob boss (George Raft) refuses to fall for their hoax! Nominated* for 6 Academy Awards(r), Some Like It Hot is the quintessential madcap farce and one of the greatest of all film comedies (The Motion Picture Guide). *1959: Director, Actor (Lemmon), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography (B&W), Art Direction (B&W), Costume Design (B&W, winner)

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Maybe "nobody's perfect," as one character in this masterpiece suggests. But some movies are perfect, and Some Like It Hot is one of them. In Chicago, during the Prohibition era, two skirt-chasing musicians, Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), inadvertently witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In order to escape the wrath of gangland chief Spats Colombo (George Raft), the boys, in drag, join an all-woman band headed for Florida. They vie for the attention of the lead singer, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), a much-disappointed songbird who warbles "I'm Through with Love" but remains vulnerable to yet another unreliable saxophone player. (When Curtis courts her without his dress, he adopts the voice of Cary Grant--a spot-on impersonation.) The script by director Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is beautifully measured; everything works, like a flawless clock. Aspiring screenwriters would be well advised to throw away the how-to books and simply study this film. The bulk of the slapstick is handled by an unhinged Lemmon and the razor-sharp Joe E. Brown, who plays a horny retiree smitten by Jerry's feminine charms. For all the gags, the film is also wonderfully romantic, as Wilder indulges in just the right amounts of moonlight and the lilting melody of "Park Avenue Fantasy." Some Like It Hot is so delightfully fizzy, it's hard to believe the shooting of the film was a headache, with an unhappy Monroe on her worst behavior. The results, however, are sublime. --Robert Horton

Rating : - "Boy, would I love to borrow a cup of that sugar!!"
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"Runnin' wild, lost control
Runnin' wild, mighty bold
Feelin' gay, reckless, too
Carefree mind all the time, never blue
Always goin', don't know where
Always showin', I don't care
Don't love nobody
It's not worthwhile
All alone
Runnin' wild."

The above is the lyrics to one of the songs sung by Marilyn Monroe in this classic film (directed by Billy Wilder) with an emphasis on comedy but that also has elements of romance and crime drama.

Briefly, 1929 Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness a gangland shooting ordered by mob boss "Spats" Colombo (George Raft, who is perfectly cast). They thus quickly board a train to Florida, disguised as "Josephine" and "Geraldine" (later "Daphne"), the newest members of an all-girl jazz band. Things really get hot when the band's ukulele player Sugar Kane (Monroe) falls for Cary Grant sounding "Shell Oil" Junior (Curtis again) and a relic playboy named Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown) falls for "Daphne." Complicating these budding romances is "Spats" Colombo who also is in Florida looking, with his henchmen, to snuff out the only two witnesses of his gangland shooting.

There is unforgettable and hilarious dialogue between Osgood and "Daphne" at the end of the movie. As well, the most unforgettable line in this entire movie is the very last line and it's delivered by Osgood. (After this last line is delivered, the screen fades to black with jazz music blaring.)

All actors do a good job in their parts. There is a fantastic chemistry between Tony Curtis (who plays Joe/ Josephine/ "Shell Oil" Junior) and Jack Lemmon (who plays Jerry/Geraldine/Daphne). (Note that Tony Curtis' "Josephine" voice was dubbed by another actor as Curtis couldn't speak high enough.) I have to give special kudos to Jack Lemmon who, in my opinion, does an outstanding job throughout this movie. (He's the one who says the line that titles this review.)

This movie has lots of energy from its opening credits to its end. This is partly due to the acting but also partly due to the distinctive jazz music that can occasionally be heard in the background.

There are ten songs in this movie, four performed by Marilyn Monroe. (Note that this movie was released three years before Monroe's death.)

Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2001) is perfect in picture and sound quality. It has one disappointing extra of Billy Wilder movie trailers. (I'm not judging the DVD on this since extras are optional not mandatory.) Also, be aware that there are no English subtitles but there is closed captioning.

In conclusion, this is a hilarious classic comedy starring the legendary Marilyn Monroe!! I guarantee that if you see this movie, you won't get "the fuzzy end of the lollipop."

(1959; 2 hr; 16 scenes; black and white; wide screen)

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