Rating: 
Summary: Middle
Review: I wouldn't describe this as the masterpiece that many people/critics make it out to be. Yes, it is a very well made and edited movie, the soundtrack and acting don't harm it in the least. The "problem" is that, even though it's an archetype of an entire genre, its the archetype of the average of the romantic comedy genre. Some of the slapstick and situational comedy is funny, but slapstick has never made me want to laugh, even if it is funny, and situational has only occasionally. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that this movie is about as enjoyable, but a little less funny than, recent average romantic comedies like 'when harry met sally' or 'america's sweethearts'. Other than that it has little value outside of increasing the viewer's claim to film literacy and the opportunity to gaze at marilyn monroe and crossdressing musicians. Worth the price of rental, but not purchase unless you're trying to build up a library of 'classics', ill wrought as such or not.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant comedy conceals the message...
Review: Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) are two musicians from Chicago that witness St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which the mob is fully aware of. The two musicians must skip town to save their lives and they decide to join a female band that is going to Florida. This is where Josephine (Tony Curtis) and Daphne (Jack Lemmon) appear. On the train ride to Florida they both meet Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe) who they both find immensely attractive, but their situation does not allow them to openly express their feelings for her. Some Like It Hot is an interesting film because it flirts with issues of homosexuality, but also gender identity. The structure of the film conceals these issues in a clever manner, since it would probably not be very politically correct to address these issues in 1959 when homosexuality was considered a mental illness by doctors and mental health professionals. The film is a brilliant comedy that offers many laughs and also pondering for those who need contemplative meditation.
Rating:
Summary: Sizzling Hilarity
Review: This film is automatically on any list of greatest comedies and is, in fact, ranked #14 among the American Film Institute's of "America's Greatest Movies," period. Although nominated for seven Academy Awards, it received only one (Orry-Kelly deservedly for Best Costume Design) which I think is ridiculous. This may well be Wilder's greatest achievement. It has lost nothing since first released in 1959. The basic situation is that two struggling musicians, Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemon) inadvertently witness gangland murders reminiscent of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and flee the bloody scene, fearing for their own lives. Desperate, they disguise themselves as women (Josephine and Daphne) and join Sweet Sue's All-Girl Orchestra. Joe/Josephine is immediately attracted to Sugar Kane, (Who wouldn't be?) The situation is complicated by Osgood Fielding III's attraction to Jerry/Daphne. Fielding is played by Joe E. Brown to whom Wilder gives the best line as the film ends. Gender-reversals, cross-dressing, and all the confusions and double entendres they permit are brilliantly coordinated by Wilder as we follow the development of several different relationships. Over the years, Wilder's impact on other directors is evident in films such Tootsie (directed by Sydney Pollack) and Mrs. Doubtfire (Chris Columbus), both of which are highly entertaining but neither of which has the depth and cohesion which Some Like It Hot does. Of course, there are several precedents such as various Shakespeare comedies and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. In almost all of Wilder's films, there is an edge (sometimes a very sharp edge) with which he locates and reveals human imperfections with surgical skill. (The Apartment offers an excellent case in point as does.) My own take on this film is that whatever social satire it contains is subordinate to initiating and then sustaining what many would call a "romp" or "sex farce." Few other directors have Wilder's range. I find it almost incomprehensible that the same person who directed this film, Some Like It Hot, also directed Five Graves to Cairo (1943), The Lost Weekend (1945), and Sunset Boulevard (1950). The DVD version obviously offers clearer image and sound but also supplementary material which I also appreciate, notably the "A Look Back" documentary with Leonard Maltin and Tony Curtis as well as the Sweet Sues Featurette (The All-Girl Band) which provide a context within which to appreciate even more this uniquely entertaining film.
Rating:
Summary: Monroe is Magnetic
Review: It is no wonder Monroe is a legend and it is no wonder this movie remains a favorite. It is set in 1929 with clever lines in the beginning telling what is to come later in history like mentioning the stock market crash and the divorce of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford.
This movie is lighthearted and innocent, with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon dressing as women to run from the mob and falling for the beutiful blondes in the Sweet Sue all female band (or so they think).
Rating:
Summary: Some Like It Hot is HOT!
Review: Some Like it Hot is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. It is a romantic comedy about two men who witness a mob killing. To avoid being caught, they masquerade as two women and join an all girls band. However, when the 'girls' fall in love with Suger Kane (Monroe), things heat up! A must-see!
Rating:
Summary: Some like it hot and Wilder (Sorry, had to say that)
Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT is truly one of my all time favorite films, by someone I have gradually had to admit is one of my favorite directors. Billy Wilder was a great director and was arguably the greatest screenwriter of all time, with only Preston Sturges giving him any competition on the comedy side. Over the course of thirty long years, Wilder wrote a huge number of truly great scripts, both before and after becoming a director, in fact becoming a director on the basis of the magnificent scripts he was turning out. He was always listed as cowriter, frequently early in his career with Charles Brackett, and later with I. A. L. Diamond, the function of both writers to help Wilder with his less-than-perfect but inventive English. I have also long admired Wilder for his politics, being during the last forties and fifties one of the few directors, with John Huston, who was openly politically liberal and opposed to the witch-hunts taking place. SOME LIKE IT HOT was named a few years ago by the American Film Institute as the funniest movie ever made, which I suppose can be translated to mean the finest comedy ever made. As much as I love this movie and Billy Wilder, I do not think that is the case. There are many films I find funnier, and there are several I think better movies, such as THE LADY EVE, BRINGING UP BABY, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, TO BE OR NOT TO BE, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, or DR. STRANGELOVE. It is not even my favorite Wilder comedy, THE APARTMENT taking that award. To me, and I admit that this may be a personal reaction only, the film feels a bit more mannered and less spontaneous than some of those other films. I suspect, though I have not been able to prove this, that there are few improvised scenes, which makes the film a tad structured. I also have some problems with Marilyn Monroe in the film. Although it is probably her greatest role, she just didn't compete with the best comediennes in film history. I think the film would have been greatly improved with an actress with a greater gift for comedy. Wilder himself actually wanted Mitzi Gaynor for the role, and while I am not certain if that would have been a great improvement (I like to imagine Shirley MacLaine in the role), the film is famous for the gigantic number of takes that were required for Monroe to get her lines right. I have to add, however, that at that particular moment in film history, there were not a great number of especially talented comediennes of the right age, unlike, say, twenty years earlier, when you could have chosen between Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers, or Katherine Hepburn (though the latter wouldn't have been appropriate for this one). One of the most difficult challenges in making the film was Wilder's struggle to coax an adequate performance out of Marilyn Monroe. Although now it is widely regarded as her greatest performance, this has more to do with Wilder's extraordinary patience in shooting literally dozens of takes to get one usable version of a scene. What viewers don't see today are are gigantic number of blown scenes, in which she either does not remember her lines or botches their delivery. Apart from Marilyn Monroe (or perhaps I should say, thanks to the dozens and dozens of takes, EVEN Marilyn Monroe), the cast is excellent, with several individuals providing much better performances than they could have been expected to provide. Tony Curtis would not make the list of the great screen comics, but he managed a first rate performance, while Jack Lemmon, who is unquestionable one of the great comic actors, was outstanding even by his high standards. George Raft's presence was highly effective, and as one of the great gangster actors of the thirties, managed to have moments where he referred to classic moments in gangster films. For instance, at one point he snatches a coin that a hoodlum is flipping, saying, "Where'd you learn that cheap trick?" Raft, of course, was famous for flipping a coin as a piece of screen business. Later he lifts a grapefruit, as if the shove it in the face of another gangster, which is, of course, a reference to James Cagney's pushing one into the face of Mae Clarke in THE PUBLIC ENEMY. Last, Joe E. Brown, who had been a B-List comedian in the 1930s, managed a spectacular turn as Jack Lemmon's surprising love interest, setting up perhaps the greatest last line in movie history.
Rating:
Summary: "The Sweet End Of The Lollipop"...
Review: This review refers to the MGM Special Edition DVD of "Some Like It Hot"..... MGM..I have one word for your transfer of this great classic to
DVD..."ZOWEEEEE!" What a terrific package you have put together of this 1959 Black and White treasure. Thank You! Like Marilyn herself, this film is irresistably charming. The immortal lines, the fabulous cast and the wonderful direction by Billy Wilder makes for non-stop fun. It's a film that will be enjoyed for years to come now on DVD and by the whole family. The time is 1929. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are struggling musicians who happen to witness a murder, in a garage, on St Valentines day. The mob lead by "Spats"(George Raft) is after them. Their only hope is to hide out with a traveling band. The band happens to be an all girls band. The guys, don women's clothing(and look scrumptious) and bunk in with the gals,
including the very sweet and sexy "Sugar"(Monroe) and the fun begins. From the moment they spy Sugar ("When she moves, it's like Jell-o on springs")they loose their hearts and so do we.
Tony falls for Marilyn("I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop"), Joe E. Brown("Zoweee!") falls for Jack, and the thugs are hot on their trail. You just won't want it to end, and even when it does you'll find yourself smiling just thinking of it.For sure it is the "sweet end of the lollipop". As I mentioned MGM has put together one terrific package. The transfer in the theatrical release widescreen(1.66:1), the black and white film is sharp and clear, and the sound remastered in DD5.1 surround is a most welcomed enhancement.(It may also be viewed in the original mono if you choose).There are also some additional perks. The special features include an interivew with Tony Curtis by Leonard Maltin. Tony seems to be just as
enthusiastic talking about it now as he must have been while filming(But FYI for parents of young kids, the interivew is PG),
there's a featurette of "Memories from the Sweet Sues"( remember Joan Shawlee's great line..."....every girl in my band is a virtuoso - and I intend to keep it that way"), and much more(see tech info for complete list of extras). It also may be viewed in French or Spanish(mono) and has subtitiles in those languages as well. An wonderful edition to any DVD library. I highly recommend this DVD of this definitive "screwball comedy". It's well worth the money. And I leave you with Joe E. Brown's immortal line....."Nobody's Perfect!"...enjoy...Laurie
Rating: 
Summary: *THE* FUNNIEST EVER OR OTHERWISE, THIS IS A MUST-SEE
Review: I'll never know why the AFI and a lot of other well-meaning folk believe this is the best comedy ever. In its time, perhaps the predicament of its characters may have been outrageous (drag dressing in the "square" America of the 50s, the unawashed depiction of the chicago mob/jazz scene etc) but it is contentious whether it would appeal to viewers of all generations and affinities. That is not to say that the movie is not a hilarious charmer. Despite some longueurs, especially before we reach with Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemmon) to Florida or towards the end of the movie when romance is allowed to flourish at the expense of comedy, I would recommend this to anyone in a blink -- even those who dread "old" movies. For one thing, Lemmon is very, very funny and convincing; I find Curtis a little staid but interesting in his role overall; and the movie has some pretty funny situational gags that hit the right notes. But as the title on the Amazon page suggests, this really is an out-and-out Monroe flick who is arguably in the most vivacious DumbBlonde number of her career. Do they make woman like that anymore? Secondly, in its romanticism, SLIH bristles with the clever sexual innuendo of yore, a certain finesse that is clearly amiss in the in-your-face adoloscent comedies of our times (Something About Mary, American Pie, etc). Much of the dialog between Monroe and Curtis/Lemmon is priceless. Thirdly, one facet of the movie that gets crowded out by all the celebrations of Marilyn and all the gags is that this was a *real* gangster movie even before the Mario Puzos of the world had written their first word about Corleone. I wonder if Billy Wilder was kidding about "Hot" or about setting the movie in 1929 Chicago. The garage massacre scene, the opening police shootout etc are all a must-see for anyone interested in the reality of those times (the beginnings of organized "mob", Prohibition etc). Whether one sees this as a top humour flick of all time or not, this still remains a classic in its own right, with some legendary comedy numbers from great names of Hollywood. Highly recommended to own, not just to rent.
Rating:
Summary: Worth checking into
Review: If you even remotely like Marilyn Monroe or Jack Lemmon, you will like this movie. If you are watching it for Tony Curtis, you will be disappointed. He is so monotone in this movie, you wonder how he ever made the cut. Marilyn and Jack make up for it though. I am not even a fan of Marilyn, but would still recommend this to you if you aren't either. Jack Lemmon makes for a pretty funny woman in the part he plays!
Rating:
Summary: Still Hot
Review: The all-time outrageous, satirical, crossdressing extravaganza, Some Like It Hot is one of the most hilarious, raucous films ever made. The ribald film is a clever combination of many elements: a spoof of 1920-30's gangster films and romance in a screwball comedy with one central joke - entangled and deceptive identities, reversed sex roles and cross-dressing. When Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness the infamous St Valentine's Day massacre, they decide to flee Chicago but the only ticket out of town for two broke musicians is a gig in Miami, Florida. There's just one catch: it's an all-girl band. So Joe and Jerry board a southbound train to Florida disguised as Josephine and Daphne. Their cover is perfect until a lovelorn singer falls for "Josephine", an ancient playboy falls for Daphne, and a mob boss refuses to fall for their hoax. They become fast friends with the band's most trouble-prone member, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe) whose dream is to meet a millionaire in Florida and live the good life. The film follows both Curtis and Lemmon as they try to simultaneously hide the fact that they are in drag, whilst practicing cruel deceptions -Curtis has Monroe thinking she's met a millionaire, and millionaire Joe. E. Brown thinks Lemmon is a woman. This comedy is a movie that's about nothing but sex and yet pretends it's about crime and greed. Curtis lusts for Monroe and disguises himself as a millionaire to win her. Monroe lusts after money and gives him lessons in love. Their relationship is flipped and mirrored in low comedy as Lemmon gets engaged to a real millionaire, played by Joe E. Brown. Wilder's gender-bending and risqué comedy, is filled with sly sexual innuendo, parodies of sexual stereotypes, sexy costuming for the well-endowed, bosomy Marilyn Monroe, an outrageous and steamy seduction scene aboard a yacht, and a mix of serious themes including abuse, alcoholism, unemployment, and murder among others. The non-stop action, slapstick and reminiscent one-liners encouraged critics and movie goers alike to compare Widler's film to Marx Brothers classics, especially in the slapstick chases as gangsters pursue the heroes through hotel corridors.
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