Wednesday, April 29th at 8:00 PM, the Arclight in Hollywood will be showing comic genius Billy Wilder’s masterpiece as part of their Screen Sirens series. The 1959 farce (considered by many as the funniest film ever made) stars Marilyn Monroe in what is possibly her most enjoyable role, and Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon performing in drag with a verve and gusto unmatched before or since.
Billy Wilder is well known for his impressive body of work ranging from the screenplay of Greta Garbo’s acclaimed comedic turn, “Ninotchka”, to the directing of dark dramas such as “The Lost Weekend” and “Double Indemnity”. But despite numerous dramatic triumphs (“Sunset Blvd”, “Ace in the Hole”), Wilder is best remembered for his unparalleled comedies “The Apartment”, “The Seven Year Itch”, and “Sabrina”. And topping this already impressive list of comic classics is AFI’s pick for the greatest comedy of all time, “Some Like It Hot”.
The creme de la creme of Wilder’s work, “Some Like It Hot” is quite arguably a perfect piece of filmmaking with all the elements coming together to not only equal, but surpass the whole. Co-written by Wilder’s long time collaborator I.A.L. Diamond, the plot centers on a couple of hapless jazz musicians on the run from some Chicago mobsters after witnessing a gangland massacre. Obviously, the two playboys have no choice other than to disguise themselves as women in order to join an all-female band heading out of town. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are brilliantly cast as the two musicians.
Upon its release, Lemmon and Curtis were already well established stars in Hollywood, but “Some Like It Hot” cemented their images for years to come and secured their status as superstars ever after – Curtis’ as a rakish matinee idol loaded with charm and masculine wiles, and Lemmon as the man of good intentions who always ends up way over his head. And of course there’s Marilyn Monroe in the penultimate role that defined her on screen persona of a lost little girl trapped in the body of a sex goddess – What’s a girl to do.
“Some Like It Hot” (nominated for six Academy Awards and winner of three Golden Globes, including Best Picture) also showcases a fine supporting cast that includes the brilliant comedic talents of silent film star Joe E. Brown and George Raft spoofing his own gangster image. The film is a sheer delight! With Lemmon, Curtis and Monroe in their prime, and one of the best last lines in cinematic history, it’s guaranteed to entertain and most likely end up on your all time favorites list.
And what better way to experience the movie (and celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary) than to see it the way it was meant to be seen–on the big screen!