Review of Some Like It Hot (1939) by Blake P — 17 Aug 2011

Oh, man. This movie is hilarious. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are nightclub musicians who barely escaped getting killed by mobster George Raft. George still wants to kill them, and in order to get away, Jack and Tony join an all-girl band and travel to a fancy hotel with them.

In the process, Tony falls in love with Marilyn Monroe, and millionaire Joe E. Brown wants to marry the in-drag Jack. "Some Like it Hot" was named the funniest movie ever made by the American Film Institute a few years ago.

Like most people say here, it really isn't the funniest (I still think "Airplane" is), but it is still in my top ten favorite comedies. Billy Wilder had made comedies before that were usually heart-warming and cute, and this brings his skill of directing to a whole new level.

You seriously can't watch this movie without squirming, but you also can't watch it without clutching your stomach--it's that funny. This was the first comedy with the only "trannie" gimmick, and there really wasn't another until "Tootsie".

Being the first is probably why it's so groundbreaking. The script is absolutely flawless. I don't know how it didn't get nominated for an Oscar. Every actor is pretty much their best here, and that's not a lie.

Lemmon shows his chops here and really deserves his nod. Curtis steps away from his heartthrob rep and gives one of his best performances. Monroe steals every scene in her typical dumb blonde role, and Joe E.

Brown made me laugh the most. There is not one scene in this movie that is dragged or stupid. "Some Like it Hot" is a must-see. Highly recommended.