STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: FILM - “Some Like It Hot”
How far would you go in order to escape getting killed by a bunch of gangsters? For these couple of musicians, they’ll go off the cliff.
Directed by Billy Wilder and written by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Some Like It Hot is a romantic comedy about Joe and Jerry, two musicians whose latest gig at a speakeasy in 1929 Chicago, Illinois, is raided by the police. The speakeasy is owned by gangster “Spats” Colombo, who goes with his henchmen to perform a hit on the informant who sold him out.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Joe and Jerry witness the murder, and they successfully avoid getting killed by the gangsters.
So where’s the romantic and comedic part?
In order to get out of the city, the two take a job with an all-female band that’s headed to Miami, Florida. The two dress in drag, and successfully get hired into the band.
One of the bandmates whom Joe becomes attracted to is Sugar Kowalcyk, who is tired of getting left with “the fuzzy end of the lollipop.”
To make matters more (hilariously) complicated, Jerry is being courted by millionaire Osgood Fielding III.
This 1959 film is notable for having crossdressing be portrayed in film, especially during a time when such a topic would never be allowed because of the Motion Picture Production Code, which was basically a list of do’s and don’ts that a movie should obey.
Some Like It Hot is considered to be one of the greatest comedies of all time, but only if you know what you’re getting into. Of course, the standards of any medium will change, especially after decades, so some things are expected to not hold up. Also, because the film is a comedy, that may affect its quality more since what is considered funny is very subjective. As an example, the crossdressing in the film may be considered humorous, since the main characters do it to avoid getting killed by gangsters. No one in reality would resort to that. However, the topic of crossdressing itself? There are countless arguments and discussions about its use in the 21st century; it’s no longer a humorous gag, it’s a legitimate fact of life that most people take seriously.
To put it simply, times have changed, and context really matters.
I was introduced to the film in college. It is the third Billy Wilder film I was required to watch, the other two being Sunset Blvd. and Double Indemnity, both of which I have written about for Story Study. The best way I can describe Some Like It Hot as a romantic comedy is “cute.” The romantic chemistry between Joe and Sugar is adorable. The hijinks that ensue when Jerry and Osgood are together are funny. Really, what stops me using the words “hilarious” or even “funny” to describe it is because, personally, I didn’t laugh a lot. It’s not because I find what I’m seeing offensive, it’s just because the jokes and situations didn’t make me laugh, plain and simple.
If I had to talk about weaknesses of the film is logic problems. So, Joe and Jerry take a train ride to Miami to get out of Chicago. And… they do… very successfully. So what do they do next? Do they go back to wearing men’s clothes, and report to the authorities on what they witnessed in Chicago? Do they take their instruments and find jobs for male musicians in Miami?
NOPE!
They stay in the all-female band, and continue the façade of them being women.
Now, of course, the reason they stay is because they like Sugar, Joe being the one that’s more attracted to her, but this seems like such a very weak reason for having more crossdressing (or just hijinks in general) to be shown in the camera. Moving to another city is a drastic change, especially since you’re on the run, and the two treat it as an inconvenience.
Regardless of that, Some Like It Hot deserves its spot in film history. It broke boundaries and it has a cute story, one that is referenced in some way countless times since its release, domestically and internationally.
Grab your sax and bass, and take the ride with Sweet Sue and her Society Syncopators.
