Some Like It Hot is a buddy-comedy mixed with a spoof on old-time gangster films and a bit of gender-bending. Set in 1929 during Prohibition (for those non-history majors, that’s when the sale of alcohol was banned across the country), the plot involves two hard-on-their luck musicians, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) who witness a gangland hit by mob boss Spats Columbo (George Raft). Fearing for their lives, the two go on the run disguised as members of an all-female band named the “Sweet Sues”. While on tour with the girls, Joe, under the name of Josephine, falls for the band’s singer, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) and begins to try and work both sides of a relationship, acting as both Sugar’s confidant as well as a potential beau, Shell Oil, Jr. Meanwhile, Jerry – or should I say Daphne – finds himself fending off the advances of a millionaire who won’t take a hint.
One of the best things about Some Like It Hot is how well the movie ages with time. While the subject matter could be seen as a bit risqué, the humor is a little more low-key, at least when compared to what passes for comedy now. In fact, the movie is something the whole family can watch. This is due in large part to the excellent writing found throughout the movie, which is filled with fast one-liners and a few reoccurring in-jokes. All of the lines fit each character perfectly and help to clearly establish their personalities. Though Lemmon and Curtis each have their fair share of good lines, Monroe's “dumb blonde” character has some of the best in the movie. For example, while looking at a stuffed marlin mounted on a wall, she begins to wonder how they get something so big into a little can.
The included commentary tracks are enjoyable, though they aren’t exactly the most revealing. However, it is fun to hear their comments on the movie nearly 50 years later. One of the included features is an older compilation of commentaries on the film while the second goes a little more behind the scenes of the movie. Some of the bigger surprises come from Tony Curtis’ feature, in which he reveals some interesting trivia about the movie and its production.
Some Like It Hot is one of the few old movies that really stands the test of time. Unless you’re someone who feels black and white is an abomination or thinks that something is only funny when sprinkled with four-letter words, Some Like It Hot is a great pick up and a “must add” to any collection.
