Some Like it Hot

The final film of Cinephile Paradiso’s Billy Wilder trilogy, that also wrapped up the first season of the programme, is easily one of the funniest films of the classical Hollywood era. Memorable for its comedic flare, Some Like it Hot also manages to present a progressive look at gender and masculinity. Released at the tail end of the 50s, the film served as one of the final big screen appearances of Hollywood icon, Marilyn Monroe, and presented the wonderful pairing of Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, the ultimate comedic duo of the time. I apologise if I’m being a bit hyperbolic when I write about this film. It’s difficult not to write about it using superlatives. Some Like it Hot is the perfect comedy film of its time, there is not a single gag I can think of that doesn’t land. Most importantly, it is worth noting that without Some Like it Hot, we would not have the cinematic landmark that is 2004’s White Chicks.

The film is set in Prohibition Chicago and follows two sleazy musicians, Jerry and Joe, (played by Curtis and Lemmon) who find themselves in dire straits due to their poor gambling choices. After the bar is raided and they accidentally witness multiple murders by a mob boss, they decide to go on the run. What is the logical thing to do when on the run from the mob? Dress as women and join a travelling band of course! Jerry and Joe become Daphne and Josephine in Sweet Sue’s travelling band, who they earlier discovered were in desperate need of female bass and sax players. As part of the band, they meet Sugar (played by Monroe at the height of her powers), and both men fall for her. Joe manages to impress her by changing his identity yet again, this time as a heartbroken millionaire who Sugar is sure to fall for. Meanwhile, Daphne struggles to shake off an old buzzard named Osgood, even as the mob are hot on their heels again. All of the hijinks builds to a crescendo of chaos and yields some truly hilarious results. 

Comedy is a very tricky genre to pull off successfully. When jokes begin to fall flat you’ve lost the audience. Wilder, and his very game cast, have pulled off the miraculous and ensured that hasn’t happened here. Mark Kermode often discusses what he terms “The Six Laugh Test” when reviewing comedies and it’s often something I use when thinking about comedies after seeing them. Essentially, in order for a comedy to be successful the film must make the viewer laugh heartily at least six times. Sounds easy? No. You’d be surprised with how many films fail this test. Wilder’s film passes Kermode’s test with flying colours. 

The film’s depiction of masculinity and gender can still be argued as progressive and worth discussing, not something that could typically be made about a film that is over 60 years old. In a time when appearing masculine and depicting only masculine qualities was paramount in the role of a man in film, here we have a film that allows the characters to play as the opposite gender and even hints at homosexual relationships (albeit in a comedic fashion) yet there is never a sense of shaming amongst the characters surrounding this aspect of the film. The film explores the idea of gender being performative with more ease than some modern films. We see the characters perform as different versions of themselves, based on what fits their situation or what they feel could attract others.   
Comedy is one of the genres that dates back to the dawn of cinema. The flickering shorts of the Lumière brothers often depicted pranks or gags in hopes of making audiences laugh. The genre has been a mainstay of the medium ever since and while it is often a genre that may be lowbrow to some, when done well the results have been some of the best efforts cinema has to offer. Wilder has shown himself to be a greats of cinema, excelling in any genre he takes on and most notable film noir and comedy. While I adore his film noir efforts, his comedic work and particularly Some Like it Hot, are his masterpieces. With a script that doesn’t wait a second for you to catch your breath in between laughs and the greatest performance of Marilyn Monroe’s career, this is what cinema is all about. Pure entertainment.