We continue our survey of the Twenty Greatest Movies of the 1950s.
For the Twenty Greatest Movies of the 1940s, click here.
For the Twenty Greatest Movies of the 1930s click here.
For the Twenty Greatest Movies of the 1920s click here.
19. Some Like It Hot, 1959.
“Look at that!” Jack Lemmon tells Tony Curtis as he watches Marilyn Monroe in awe. “Look how she moves. Like Jell-O on springs. She must have some sort of built-in motor. I tell you, it’s a whole different sex.”
Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s screenplay for Some Like It Hot, which some consider the greatest comedy ever produced, nails the Marilyn Monroe personae with an exactitude that is almost frightening.
The plot: Curtis and Lemmon are Chicago musicians who accidentally witness the St. Valentine’s day massacre. They disguise themselves as women to avoid being rubbed out by the mob, and join an all-female orchestra on its way to Florida. Marilyn Monroe is the orchestra’s featured singer who has her sights set on marrying a millionaire.
Curtis lusts for Monroe, and disguises himself as a millionaire in need of a good woman’s love to cure him of his inability to get aroused. As the heir to the Shell oil fortune, Curtis turns in a devastatingly wicked Cary Grant imitation. And the scene on the yacht where MM tries to arouse Curtis is a prime example of how to avoid low comedy by exploring real emotions. Observe how Monroe kisses Curtis: with great tenderness and mercy, as if she’s afraid that too much passion might break him into little pieces.
Meanwhile, Lemmon in drag, gets engaged to a real millionaire, the whacky, unflappable Joe E. Brown.
“You’re not a girl!” Curtis tells Lemmon. “You’re a guy! Why would a guy want to marry a guy?”
Responds Lemmon with great common sense: “Security!”
This is a screwball comedy, that wonderful, optimistic genre which thrived in the 1930s and gave way to the cynical film noir of the 1940s. Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s inspired and meticulous script hits all the right notes: men and women locked in epic romantic confusions, gender switches that defy imagination, and dialog so dazzling the viewer is left breathless. In fact, so deft and finely resolved is the movie’s script and direction that it can be safely said to be the last genuine screwball ever produced.
Production on Some Like It Hot is infamous for MMs neurotic, if not pathological behavior.
Monroe had so much trouble saying one line of dialogue, “Where’s the bourbon?” while looking in a dresser drawer that Wilder had the line pasted inside the drawer. When Wilder called for another take, Monroe opened the wrong drawer and of course, flubbed the line. Wilder finally pasted the three words of dialogue inside every drawer.
It took something like forty takes for Monroe to get the correct line reading.
This is, of course, madness, and it’s the main reason Tony Curtis notoriously told a reporter that kissing Marilyn was “like kissing Hitler.”
While MM struggled with her lines, the other actors with whom she was playing scenes were forced to adjust to her endless demands. Monroe’s insecurities dominated the set. And it’s a testament to the artistry of Tony Curtis that he never falters in his scenes with MM. His reaction shots are golden examples of comic timing. And his line readings, in spite of the multiple takes MM required, are always fresh and sparkling.
Regardless of MMs personal torment—made even worse by Lee Strassberg’s destructive Method—she steals the show.
Seraphic Secret has repeatedly emphasized that all great movies are, in one way or another, love stories. On the surface, Some Like It Hot seems to be about raw sex and animal desire. Poured into an Orry-Kelly designed black dress with a sheer panel that makes every red-blooded American squint, MM sings “I Wanna Be Loved by You.”
Marilyn coos, whispers, and smolders, putting over the lyrics like a wide-eyed child. This musical number captures the essence of MMs universal appeal. Alone in the spotlight, awash in wonder and anxiety, MM begs for love. We, the audience, experience her yawning emptiness with a vividness that has rarely been equaled in movie history.
MM, in spite of her chronic hysteria, was a great actress, an elegant comedienne whose explosive sexuality she carefully released lest its sheer power overwhelm the narrative.
Some Like It Hot is laugh out loud funny, and yet, at the same time, a deeply moving testament to the enduring power of true love.
I’ve always loved this movie. It’s a favorite from way back when, when it was new.
SLIH and His Girl Friday are the two greatest screwball comedies (with It Happened One Night a close 3rd and Arsenic and Old Lace in 4th). And while Wilder, Hawks and Capra made such great comedies, they also excelled in other genres, especially Wilder. Red River, Double Indemnity, John Doe and Mr Smith, Stalag 17, The Apartment, Sunset Blvd – the brilliance of these movies is blinding.
And of course SLIH has the greatest last line of any movie. “Nobody’s perfect” is the perfect end to the madcap ending. And while nobody is perfect, Wilder come as close as anyone.
Oh…I was going to give this a great big thumbs up – then you put It Happened One Night in front of Arsenic and Old Lace. Hmmm.
I think one of the funniest scenes in that movie is when Curtis’ character is in bed, and MM jumps in and snuggles up to him/her. You can just feel the tension! (particularly if you are a guy).
That dresser scene – I think Billy Wilder was telling the actors that “if she gets it right you better not flub your lines! Can you imagine sitting though 40 takes of such a simple line – in costume – waiting – and waiting – and waiting?
The making of that movie was so interesting that Curtis wrote a best selling book on the making of Some Like It Hot. My flaky memory is always suspect but I believe to practice getting “into character” they went into women’s restrooms (I am sure they closed the stall door 😉 )
On MM I was watching a documentary on her and one fascinating aspect was her “lost years” in NYC – not lost to her of course but Hollywood and much of the press.
Actually (again if my flaky memory is working) she was living with Strassburg’s family – She would stroll through Manhattan, sunglasses and scarf, and the public didn’t even notice her.
One interesting anecdote from his daughter concerned one of the anonymous walks – ansd MM told her “You want to see MM?”
Whatever MM did then – had to have been just body movements – suddenly people all around the sidewalk are noticing her. Must have turned on that jello on springs 😉
If you get the chance Robert see “My Week With Marylin” – it is based on the diary of a director’s assistant while she was in London filming the Prince and the Showgirl. It’s a movie about the making of a movie, centered around MM.
In my opinion the Michelle Williams nailed Marylin’s character.
http://www.amazon.com/Week-Marilyn-DVD-Blu-ray-Combo/dp/B0059XTUEK/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1366327613&sr=8-2&keywords=my+weekend+with+marilyn
And the best take away line was that “Olivier wanted to learn from Marylin how to be a movie star, and she wanted to learn from him how to be an actor”
Not the exact words; again my flaky memory.
Yes, MM lived with Strasberg. He played on her insecurities expertly. MM, in her will, left Strasberg her entire estate.
Thank you Robert…forever in my mind I will blame Strasberg for MM’s spiral. I know, I know… there were so many contributing factors. But even my amateurs eye can see how she was just scooting along being uber talented then started to fall so rapidly. Playing on insecurities is dangerous work.
Yes, yes, yes,yes. I know it’s a little wordy, but yes, yes, yes! Saw it when it came out.
I have to admit, Robert, that while I’ve seen bits and pieces of this movie while channel surfing over the years, I’ve never seen the whole thing. Maybe I need to correct that situation. 🙂
In my opinion, the 10 greatest comedies of all time are, in no particular order: THE GOLD RUSH; A NIGHT AT THE OPERA; UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT; MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN; THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT; SOME LIKE IT HOT; AIRPLANE; AND NOW FOR WOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT; THE TALL BLOND MAN WITH ONE BLACK SHOE; THE 12 CHAIRS.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Womething has possibilities to be a really interesting movie though. Probably wouldn’t need a screenwriter as skilled as Robert if it is filmed in The Valley.