Billy Wilder was a genius. Honestly, there isn’t a better way to put it. When people talk about the greatest comedies ever made, Some Like It Hot usually sits right at the top of the list. It’s not just because Marilyn Monroe was at the height of her powers. It's not just because Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis were willing to spend weeks in high heels and heavy makeup.
It’s the writing.
Released in 1959, the movie did something that almost shouldn't have worked. It blended a brutal mob hit with a drag comedy. Think about that for a second. You have two musicians, Joe and Jerry, who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. To stay alive, they dress up as women and join an all-girl band heading to Florida. It sounds like a premise for a cheap sitcom. Yet, under Wilder’s direction, it became a masterclass in pacing, gender subversion, and comedic timing.
The Chaos Behind the Scenes
You've probably heard the rumors. Making this movie was a nightmare. Marilyn Monroe was notoriously difficult on set. She often arrived hours late. Sometimes she didn't show up at all. There is a famous story about a simple line: "Where’s that corkscrew?" It reportedly took 47 takes for her to get it right. At one point, she was saying "Where's that bottle opener?" or "Where's the corkscrew?" in the wrong order.
Tony Curtis once famously remarked that kissing her was like "kissing Hitler." He later walked that back, saying it was a joke born out of frustration, but it speaks to the tension. Despite the friction, the camera loved her. Wilder knew it. He tolerated the delays because he knew that five minutes of Monroe on screen was worth more than an hour of a more "professional" actress. She brought a vulnerability to Sugar Kane that no one else could touch.
Why the Censorship Board Hated It
The Motion Picture Production Code—often called the Hays Code—was still a thing in 1959. They weren't fans. The film was actually denied a seal of approval because of the cross-dressing and the suggestive dialogue. United Artists released it anyway.
That was a huge deal.
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By releasing Some Like It Hot without the Code's blessing, the studio helped hammer another nail into the coffin of old-school Hollywood censorship. It proved that audiences didn't need a moralizing board to tell them what was funny or acceptable. People flocked to it. They didn't care about the "scandalous" nature of men in dresses; they cared that it was hilarious.
Breaking Down the "Perfect" Ending
"Well, nobody's perfect."
It’s arguably the most famous closing line in cinema history. If you haven't seen it, the setup is simple. Jerry (as Daphne) is trying to explain to the millionaire Osgood Fielding III why they can't get married. He goes through a list of excuses. He smokes. He has a terrible past. Finally, in desperation, Jerry rips off his wig and yells, "I'm a man!"
Osgood doesn't blink. He just delivers that iconic line.
It’s a perfect moment because it subverts every expectation of a 1950s resolution. Usually, the "masquerade" has to be punished or at least fully resolved with a return to the status quo. Instead, Wilder gives us a shrug. It’s a bit of a wink to the audience, suggesting that maybe, just maybe, everyone's a little bit more flexible than society likes to admit.
The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Connection
Wilder was obsessed with contrast. He didn't want the movie to be a "soft" comedy. He wanted real stakes. That’s why the beginning of the film is surprisingly dark. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre was a real-life event in 1929, where Al Capone’s gang gunned down members of the North Side Gang.
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In the film, Spats Colombo (played by George Raft) is the one pulling the strings. Raft was a real-life tough guy who actually knew mobsters like Owney Madden. By casting him, Wilder added a layer of authenticity to the danger. If Joe and Jerry get caught, they don’t just get embarrassed. They die. This "high stakes" environment is what makes the comedy work so well. The harder they try to hide, the funnier the desperation becomes.
The Transformation of Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis
Let’s talk about the makeup. This wasn't the era of high-tech prosthetics. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon had to go through grueling sessions to become Josephine and Daphne. They actually walked around the Goldwyn Studios in full drag to see if they could pass.
They went into the ladies' room.
Nobody noticed.
Or, more accurately, nobody complained. That’s when they knew they had the characters down. Curtis played Josephine with a refined, detached elegance—sort of a Grace Kelly vibe. Lemmon, on the other hand, went full chaotic energy with Daphne. His performance is physical, sweaty, and completely committed. It’s his reaction shots while shaking maracas that often steal the show.
Technical Brilliance in Black and White
A lot of people wonder why the movie isn't in color. By 1959, Technicolor was standard for big musicals and comedies. Marilyn Monroe’s contract actually specified that all her films had to be in color.
But there was a problem.
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When they did color tests with Curtis and Lemmon in their "female" makeup, they looked ghastly. The heavy foundation used to hide their beard stubble turned a weird, sickly green on film. It looked like a horror movie. Wilder fought the studio and Monroe’s team to shoot in black and white. It was a stylistic choice, but also a practical one. The monochrome look helped sell the 1920s setting and smoothed out the artifice of the drag.
Real-World Impact and Legacy
The film’s influence is everywhere. You can see its DNA in everything from Tootsie to Mrs. Doubtfire. It taught filmmakers that you could handle sensitive or "taboo" subjects with a light touch without losing the heart of the story.
Interestingly, the film was adapted into a Broadway musical called Sugar in 1972, and more recently, a reimagined Some Like It Hot musical hit Broadway in 2022. The new version updated the story to address racial and gender identity more directly, showing just how much the core premise still resonates with modern audiences.
Expert Take: Why It Holds Up
Film historians often point to the "Rule of Three" in the script by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond. Every joke has a setup, a reminder, and a payoff. Take the "shell oil" bit. Joe pretends to be a millionaire to woo Sugar. It’s a complex lie that requires him to jump back and forth between his Josephine persona and his fake oil tycoon persona.
The complexity doesn't confuse the audience because the writing is surgical. We are always in on the joke. That's the secret. The movie never makes the audience the butt of the gag; we are co-conspirators with Joe and Jerry.
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs and Creators
If you want to truly appreciate the craft of this film, or if you're a writer looking to learn from the best, here are a few things to look for on your next rewatch:
- Watch the background. Wilder was a master of "deep staging." Often, the funniest thing happening isn't what the main characters are saying, but what’s happening in the back of the frame—like Jerry’s frantic dancing while Joe tries to be serious.
- Study the transitions. Notice how the film moves from the cold, dark streets of Chicago to the bright, sunny (but equally dangerous) Florida. The lighting shifts represent the shift in the characters' psychological states.
- Analyze the dialogue rhythm. Try to count how many seconds pass between a setup and a punchline. It’s almost musical. I.A.L. Diamond and Wilder wrote with a specific beat in mind, and the actors hit it perfectly.
- Check out the 2022 Broadway Cast Recording. If you want to see how the story evolves for a 21st-century audience, listen to how they handled the character of Jerry/Daphne. It’s a fascinating look at how we view identity today compared to 1959.
Some Like It Hot isn't just a "classic" in the sense that it's old and people say you should like it. It's a living piece of entertainment that manages to be subversive, heart-wrenching, and gut-bustingly funny all at once. Whether you're watching it for the first time or the fiftieth, there's always a new detail to catch in Sugar's performance or a subtle bit of physical comedy from Lemmon that you missed before. It’s a reminder that while styles change and technology evolves, a perfectly constructed joke is eternal.