Yay or Nay?: Some Like It Hot (Film)

Yes, this one is a classic! One thing people may not know is I have a fascination with black and white classics from the golden age of film. I used to watch them a lot with my grandparents, and despite what some stereotypes might imply about them, there are a few I very much enjoy. One of them is a film I just watched recently, “Some Like It Hot”. Which you may have already seen, as it runs a very similar story to the movie from the early 2000s, “White Chicks”. 

And is this movie funny? Very much so. It’s witty humor and good acting— if not a bit cheesy, but who’s counting, makes for a well-told and enjoyable story. 

So with that, let’s get to it! This is my review of the 1959 comedy (and critically acclaimed classic) film, “Some Like It Hot”!

THE STORY 

As taken from (literally) the Internet, because there’s a lot of plot and it has been summarized the best way in this excerpt: 

After witnessing a Mafia murder, slick saxophone player Joe (Tony Curtis) and his long-suffering buddy, Jerry (Jack Lemmon), improvise a quick plan to escape from Chicago with their lives. Disguising themselves as women, they join an all-female jazz band and hop a train bound for sunny Florida. While Joe pretends to be a millionaire to win the band's sexy singer, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), Jerry finds himself pursued by a real millionaire (Joe E. Brown) as things heat up and the mobsters close in.

It is shenanigan after shenanigan in this film, and the action never really stops until the end. It has that rare factor that makes this story one you never stop paying attention to—and the elements that I think, White Chicks would later base their movie off as well. 

MY THOUGHTS 

Really, while the story might seem non-sensical, these actors make it what it is— one being Marilyn Monroe as the female lead. The effort, the talent— this is truly what makes this film come into its own, as they are the comedic talent here, and fit their roles perfectly. Tony Curtis and John Lemmon really ham it up as ladies, and the chemistry between them as actors is pure magic and still unmatched to me. It’s just that wonderful. I was laughing from jokes that still hold up today, and I was impressed, mostly by the fast delivery of them. Blink once and you’ll miss it. Don’t pay attention, and you’ll miss the point entirely. They take advantage here to use wordplay to their advantage— which only adds to the humor because while some of the other characters aren’t in on the joke, you as the audience member, are. Marilyn Monroe, again, shines as her role as “Sugar”, the female band’s singer. She’s witty, she’s funny, and she all-around has the star-factor that made her so infamous. I can see why she was an icon during this time. 

Then there’s the writing of this film, which I suppose goes without saying. It’s a well-done, well-paced, and well-executed story, with one of those comical endings that just feels right. Coupled with the acting talent, really, it's a story that stands out as both bizarre, hilarious, and I would argue, unique for the time it was released in. Sure its a comedy and meant for laughs, but I don’t think you see much of this type of story (archetypes anyway) in common golden age cinema. If there is, well, I probably just haven’t seen it. 

MY RATING 

So this review will be short and sweet! This is a good movie, and if you want to watch a classic comedy, this is the one for you! Either give it a buy, stream, or rent! You’ll be laughing until your sides hurt! 

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 Stars)

~Meghan