Grade: A+
Synopsis: After witnessing a mob hit, two Chicago musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) disguise themselves as women and join an all girl band bound for Miami.
Some Like It Hot is frequently voted the best comedy of all time and for good reason. Despite being almost 40 years old, Billy Wilder’s gem is every bit as funny today as it was the day it opened, loaded with classic dialog, great scenes, and memorable performances.
The script by director Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is near perfect, doing a great job of blending drama, comedy and romance, without dating itself, or dragging on repeat viewings. Further, the closing line remains one of the greatest in movie history.
With a script that good to work from, it’s no wonder the cast shines. Leads Tony Randall and Jack Lemmon play off one another with deceptive ease, and Marilyn Monroe gives the best performance of her career. Supporting them, there’s Joe E. Brown as Lemmon’s unforgettable suitor, and, in a nice nod to the Warner Bros. gangster film’s of the 30’s and 40’s, George Raft and Pat O’Brien as a gangster and g-man respectively.
Some Like It Hot works so well because the jokes and situations never feel forced. Instead, Wilder allows the narrative to flow organically, deriving humor from the situations along the way. Further, Wilder’s recognition and exploitation of star Jack Lemmon’s comedic timing makes the film, as Lemmon steals nearly all his scenes as the maraca shaking Daphne in a performance that ultimately ranks as one of the best of his very distinguished career.
Bottom Line: Some Like It Hot is the rarest of gems: a timeless comedy that’s so good it looks easy. Highly Recommended.
