In making a Comedy Film, Nobody's Perfect! But Billy Wilder & Company got pretty damn close!

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2007)

The Great Famous as well as the Great Infamous occurrences in a nation's history are and always will be looked upon as subjects worthy of a film treatment. Whether an incident were to be filmed from a story and its screenplay form written directly for the screen or an adaptation of a Novel, a Short Story or a Stage Play, they are an important element of formulating our image of our World. Right or wrong, it is a fact of life and one that we must learn to live with.
A good example of just what we are driving at is the occurrences of October 26, 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona. Known as "The Gunfight at O.K. Corral", the incident is probably the best known single shoot-em-up incident in the History of the Old West. Countless references are made to it in our Western Movies, be they Major Motion Pictures or the "B" Picture Series of the Matinée & Bubble Gum Set.
Equally as familiar to the movie going public and probably the best known example of Urban Gangster violence of the 'Lawless Prohibition/Gangster Era, "The St.Valentine's Day Massacre" has been given Film treatment many times. It is featured in the Rod Steiger's Starring Title Role as AL CAPONE (Allied Artists, 1959).
Director Roger Corman gave us THE ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE (Los Altos Productions / 20th Century-Fox, 1967); devoting the entire 100 minutes of screen time to the behind the scenes incidents leading up to it and to the Great Mass Murder.
With Ben Gazzara in the title role, we had CAPONE (Santa Fe Productions/ 20th Century-Fox, 1975), also which had the Massacre and its preparation and aftermath as central events in the story.
With the dramatic come the comedies, spoofs, comedians, the social commentators and the satirists. There surely would be a comedy that would at least make mention of the Massacre in passing.
And it happened. Producer/co-Writer/Director Billy Wilder gave us SOME LIKE IT HOT (Ashton Prod./Mirisch Corp.-United Artists, 1959). To a hilariously great script, Directot Wilder added plenty of Hollywood Star Power in Miss Marilyn Monroe, Mr. Tony Curtis and Mr. Jack Lemmon. In supporting position, we saw the likes of veteran, old pros like Joe E. Brown (as Millionaire Osgood Fielding III), George Raft (as 'Spats' Colombo), Pat O'Brien (as Detective Mulligan), Nehimiah Persoff (as Little Boneparte), Joan Shawlee (Sweet Sue), Billy Gray (Sig Pokikoff), George E. Stone (Toothpick Charley), Mike Mazurki (Spats' Henchman), Dave Barry (Beinstock), Harry Wilson (Spats Henchman), Beverly Wills (Delores), Barbara Drew (Nellie), Edward G. Robinson, Jr. (Johnny Paradise), Al Brenamen (Bell Hop), Pat Comiskey (Spats' Henchman), Tom Kennedy (Bouncer), Paul Frees (Funeral Director Mozerella & "Josephine"-Voices), Joe Gray (Mobster at Banquet), Harold 'Tommy' Hart (Official #2), Ted Hook (Official #1), John Indisano (Waiter), Jack McClure (Spats Henchman), Helen Perry (Rosella) and Marian Collier (Clarinet Player, Olga) and Joan Fields, Mary Foley, Penny McGuiggin, Laura Mitchell, Colleen O'Sullivan (Band Members All).
OUR STORYIn a nutshell, its 1929, Prohibition is in full swing in a defiant Chicago. Two struggling and apparently over-sexed Musicians, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) narrowly missed being arrested in a Police Raid on a Speak Easy run by big time Hoodlum, 'Spats' Columbo (George Raft). Obtaining a 'Gig' to play t the University of Illinois Dance in Champaign-Urbana, over 100 miles to the South of Chicago. Borrowing a Car from a Girlfriend of Joe's, they have the Bad Luck of being present at the Clark Street Garage when the mass killings take place.
In order to escape being snuffed-out for witnessing the deed, the two masquerade as Women and join up with A Band made up of all Lady Musicians and (Woo, woo, woo, woo!) Singer, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). The Band is heading out of the snowy, Chicago Winter for the "safety" of Sunny, Florida. That is "safety", until 'Spats' and his Boys, show up in the Sunshine State for the Convention of "Friends of Italian Opera", which is code for the Crime Syndicate! The fun continues.
The film is wild, fast paced and cleverly written. It has guaranteed laughs through-out. Mr. Wilder and Company, have constructed a sort of cross between the old James Cagney/Humphrey Bogart feature, THE ROARING TWENTIES (Warner Brothers, 1939) and a Mack Sennett Silent Keystone Comedy. They get us Laughing and keep it that way.
The filming used the City of Coronado in Suburban San Diego, as the location doubling for an unavailable State of Florida. Both the beautiful Coronado Beach and the 1920's styled Coronado Hotel were put to use to great effect.
And just one more thing before we signoff for now. Of all the veteran players appearing in the movie, it is the fine performance of Mr. Joe E. Brown which steals more than his share of the film. Joe E. Brown had his hey day in a series of comedies done I the 1930's and had been relegated to supporting riles since then. The role of eccentric Millionaire Osgood Fielding III, who finds himself attracted to 'Daphne', the Bull Fiddle Player (Jack Lemmon).
And it is Joe E. Brown who speaks the memorable last line of dialogue, which is, no, no! I won't tell! If you don't know, buy it or rent it; but see it! Don't wait another Day!