Irrepressibly funny and frantic film; excellent performances

Rating: Null/10 (4 March 2004)

Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot" opens in 1929 Chicago and follows the desperation of musicians Joe "Josephine" (Tony Curtis) and Jerry "Daphne" (Jack Lemmon) to get out of town after witnessing the St. Valentine's Day massacre. The solution? Board a train to Miami posing as girls with an all-female band! Everything about Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond's script is hilariously pitch-perfect, including the train sequence, the meeting of Daphne and Osgood Fielding (Joe E. Brown, whose closing line is a gem), and the yacht sequence with Joe and the sweetly dim-witted Sugar Kane (the incomparable Marilyn Monroe, who gives one of her best comic performances). Side-splitting support from George Raft, Pat O'Brien and Joan Shawlee add to the fun. Oscar winner for Best B&W Costume design (Orry-Kelly). A definite must-see comedy classic! ****