Monday, March 16, 2009

Some Like It Hot


The Livin' End
Originally uploaded by Dill Pixels
Aside from being a Wilder obsessed person I had to see Some Like It Hot because it’s consistently considered as one of the top films of all time, it also has one of the most famous last scenes in film history.

Probably the most famous of all of Wilder’s films Some Like It Hot revolves around Joe & Jerry, poor musicians trying to make a living in Chicago in 1929. Initially, the men are employed at a speak easy and narrowly escape a police raid, the next day they have a second stroke of bad luck when they witness one of Chicago’s most notorious mobsters take out 7 people. Knowing they are hunted by the mob Joe and Jerry escape with a band gig all the way to sunny Florida, the catch is that it’s an all girl band.

Perhaps what is the best selling point of this movie is the wit and sizzle that Wilder manages to get out of every line, exaggerated look and comic double-take that Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon deliver. This is a comedy that is a melting pot of perfect elements; Some Like It Hot is the perfect mixture of drama, comedy, and gender confusion.

Almost everyone that knows anything about the history of film knows the last line, the last reaction of Some Like It Hot - Jack Lemmon reveals to his beau that he is in fact a man and the response is merely “Well, nobody’s perfect.” It’s considered one of the best moments in cinema, I saw it before film school, I studied about it while in school, and have watched numerous AFI specials where it is brought up. I really didn’t think that after all that saturation I would find the end of the movie funny; I was so surprised at how largely I reacted to the final scene – especially the final line.

I kid you not, if you think you don’t want to see Some Like It Hot because you know the joke already just bring yourself to watch the film. I can almost guarantee that you will be laughing through the entire film and the end will grab you like you’ve never seen the joke before.

Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond
Osgood: Joe E. Brown
Joe: Tony Curtis
Jerry: Jack Lemmon
Sugar: Marilyn Monroe

Jerry: Will you look at that! Look how she moves! It's like Jell-O on springs. Must have some sort of built-in motor or something. I tell you, it's a whole different sex!

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