Wilder's Broad Comedy is Hilarious.

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2008)

I more strongly prefer the masterly noir work of Billy Wilder, (I find his comedies forced with equal amounts of hit or miss humor) but Some Like It Hot is one comedy that excels on many levels. The script crackles with wit, there's plenty of slapstick and about half a dozen classic film moments.
Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are out of work musicians whose luck takes another downward turn when they witness the St. Valentines Massacre. They take it on the lamb, adopting female identities and hook up with an all women band who has a sweet gig in Miami. The plan is to just get out of Chicago and away from the mob. Miami however does not prove to be a safe haven.
Lemmon and Curtis are a perfect comedy team in Hot, superior to any of Lemmon's many teamings with Matthau. Lemmon's tendency to over act is evident in the early moments but once in drag it becomes pitch perfect. Curtis has never been funnier whether he's vamping it or doing his atrocious Cary Grant and the two acting styles work well as they comically frustrate each other from start to finish. Marilyn Monroe never was much of an actress but here she exudes the ultimate dumb blonde stereotype that creates the legend.
There's a certain burlesque and stereotype to Wilder's work certainly evidenced in the buxom presence of Monroe and broad portrayals of Italian gangsters ( George Raft)Irish cops (Pat O'Brien) along with Keystone Cop chases that come across a little fatigued. O'Brien is hardly on screen and Raft had long ceased to ever be capable of acting and was no longer menacing. Joe E. Brown as an aging playboy more than makes up for the rest of the lackluster supporting cast courting Lemmon with hilarious nonchalance and along with the two male leads delivers Wilder and I.A. Diamonds snappy dialog with maximum comic effect.