You’ve probably seen the clip. The one where a guy in a wig, rattling maracas with a grin that stretches from ear to ear, announces he’s engaged. His friend is horrified. "But you're a guy!" he yells. The response? "Security!"
That’s Some Like It Hot Jack Lemmon at his absolute finest.
Honestly, it’s one of the few movies from 1959 that doesn't feel like it’s covered in mothballs. It’s fresh. It’s chaotic. It’s weirdly progressive for a time when the "Hays Code" was still trying to keep everyone’s knees covered. While Tony Curtis played the straight man (mostly) and Marilyn Monroe brought the "Jell-O on springs" magnetism, Jack Lemmon was the engine. He didn't just put on a dress; he became Daphne. And in doing so, he changed what we expect from a comedy performance forever.
The Role Nobody Wanted (Except Jack)
Believe it or not, Lemmon wasn't the first choice. Not even close. Billy Wilder, the director who basically had a Midas touch for scripts, originally wanted Frank Sinatra. Can you imagine Ol’ Blue Eyes in heels? It probably would’ve been a disaster. Then they went to Jerry Lewis. Lewis turned it down because he didn't want to play a woman. Huge mistake.
Lemmon, on the other hand, saw a goldmine.
At that point, he was still a rising star, coming off an Oscar win for Mister Roberts. He wasn't afraid of looking ridiculous. That’s the secret sauce of Some Like It Hot Jack Lemmon. He wasn't playing a man pretending to be a woman for a "gotcha" moment. He was playing Jerry, a guy who discovers that being Daphne is actually... kind of great?
The "Ugly" Woman Test
Before filming started, Lemmon and Tony Curtis decided to do a trial run. They got into full drag—dresses, wigs, heavy makeup—and wandered around the Goldwyn Studios. They wanted to see if they could pass. They even walked into the ladies' room to fix their lipstick.
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Nobody batted an eye.
Curtis was the "pretty" one, looking a bit like Grace Kelly if you squinted. Lemmon? He looked like someone’s eccentric aunt who drinks too much sherry. But that’s why it worked. He leaned into the absurdity. Wilder even decided to shoot the whole thing in black and white because the "heavy" makeup needed to hide their five o'clock shadows looked ghastly in color. It turned out to be a blessing; the monochrome look gives the film that timeless, noir-comedy grit.
Why Daphne is Better Than Jerry
There is a shift that happens about halfway through the movie. Jerry stops complaining about the heels. He stops worrying about the mobsters (well, mostly). He starts enjoying the attention of Osgood Fielding III, a millionaire who is—let's be real—totally smitten with him.
The chemistry between Some Like It Hot Jack Lemmon and Joe E. Brown (Osgood) is arguably the best romance in the film. Sorry, Marilyn.
When Osgood proposes, Lemmon plays it with this bizarre, giddy sincerity. He’s not just "doing a bit." He is actually weighing the pros and cons of marrying this guy.
- The Bracelet: Osgood gives him diamonds.
- The Alimony: Jerry figures he can get a nice settlement.
- The Security: It's his favorite word.
It's a masterclass in physical comedy. In the famous maraca scene, Wilder actually had to add pauses and extra maraca shakes because preview audiences were laughing so loud they were missing the next lines. Lemmon’s timing wasn't just good; it was disruptive.
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Dealing with Marilyn
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the icon on the set. Marilyn Monroe was, by all accounts, a nightmare during production. She was going through a lot—a crumbling marriage to Arthur Miller, health issues, and a crippling inability to remember lines.
It took her 47 takes to say "Where's the bourbon?"
Through it all, Lemmon was the pro. While Tony Curtis famously (and maybe jokingly) compared kissing her to "kissing Hitler" because of the endless retakes, Lemmon stayed patient. He knew that when she did get it right, she was luminous. His job was to stay in character as Daphne, even if he had to stand in 100-degree heat in a corset for the 40th time that morning. That level of discipline is why his performance feels so effortless when you watch it today.
A Performance That Broke the Rules
In 1959, the movie industry was governed by the Motion Picture Production Code. It was a strict set of moral guidelines. You couldn't show "sexual perversion." You couldn't make "sex mockery" out of the law.
Some Like It Hot Jack Lemmon basically took that code and threw it out a moving train window.
The film was released without the Code's seal of approval. The Catholic Legion of Decency gave it a "B" rating—"morally objectionable in part." They hated the cross-dressing. They hated the "suggestive" dialogue. But the public? They loved it.
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The Ending That Changed Everything
You know the line. "Nobody's perfect."
It’s often cited as the greatest closing line in cinema history. But look at Lemmon's face when it’s delivered. He’s finally ripped off the wig. He’s told Osgood he’s a man. He expects a scream, a punch, or at least a look of disgust. Instead, he gets total acceptance.
It’s a weirdly beautiful moment. It suggests that identity is fluid and that, maybe, we’re all just looking for someone who doesn't mind our wigs. Lemmon’s "Jerry" is left speechless, which is the only time in the movie he isn't talking his way out of a corner.
How to Appreciate the Legend Today
If you're going to dive into the world of Some Like It Hot Jack Lemmon, don't just watch it for the jokes. Look at the craft.
- Watch the eyes: Lemmon does more with a panicked side-eye than most actors do with a three-page monologue.
- Listen to the voice: Notice how he doesn't do a high-pitched "lady" voice. He just changes his cadence. He sounds like Jerry, but with a different energy.
- The Tango: Pay attention to the dance with Osgood. Lemmon is actually a decent dancer, but he makes it look like he’s fighting a war with his own legs.
Jack Lemmon grabbed an Oscar nomination for this, and he should have won. He lost to Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur, which, let’s be honest, is a very different kind of "serious" acting. But 60-plus years later, who are people still quoting? The guy in the chariot or the guy with the maracas?
There’s a reason this film topped the AFI’s list of the funniest American movies of all time. It’s because Lemmon didn't play for the cheap seats. He played for the truth of the character, even when that character was wearing a flapper dress and fleeing for his life.
Go watch it again. Focus on Daphne. You'll see things you missed the first ten times—a little shrug, a misplaced giggle, a moment of genuine joy in a dress that cost more than Jerry’s car. That’s the magic of Jack Lemmon. He made the impossible look like a party.
Actionable Insights for Film Buffs:
Check out the 2022 Broadway musical adaptation of Some Like It Hot. It updates some of the gender themes for a modern audience while keeping the jazz-age DNA intact. Also, if you want to see the "darker" side of the Lemmon-Wilder partnership, watch The Apartment. It’s the perfect chaser to the chaotic cocktail that is Some Like It Hot.