An excellent comedy that shows how a womanizer learns the meaning of love.

Rating: Null/10 (19 March 2011)

The film Some Like It Hot, directed by Billy Wilder and released March 29, 1959, was set back in the prohibition era. The storyline is centered on two main characters, Joe- saxophone player, played by Tony Curtis, and Jerry-bow fiddle player, played by Jack Lemmon. They are two struggling musicians, trying to find work in the era of probation, and depression. They unwillingly become the subjects of a mob hit when they witness a mob hit on a rival gang. Joe, played by Tony Curtis, and Jerry, played by Jack Lemmon, search for a way to escape from the mob. There safe haven comes by what was original set as a joke by a female friend of Joe's at an employment agency, they take a job as musicians in an all girls band. The catch is that they are now to be known as Josephine and Geraldine. Can they convince the girls that they are girls themselves? Once they are part of the band, Joe and Jerry befriend Sugar, played by Marilyn Monroe, and Joe is having difficulties due to his natural male instincts. Can Joe mask his true male instincts when he is with Sugar? Joe has always been known for being a womanizer and always looking out for himself. Joe even goes as far as asking what Sugar is looking for in a man, and he takes mental notes so that he may charm her. Joe begins to discover he has true feelings for Sugar and no longer wants to hurt her or manipulate her. He knows that with the mob hunting for Jerry and him, he will never be able to have a true relationship with Sugar. It is a story of maturing, finding what matters, and finding that when you love someone, you love them more than yourself.
The back drop of the story is to understand that Joe is a lady's man and Jerry is conservative. Jerry is the analysis of the pair and just wants to work and pays bills, Joe is always looking for the next best thing, even if he has to beg, plead and barrow. On their way to a temporary gig that has been assigned to them by an employment agency, they come across a chance encounter with mobsters at a garage, there to get the car that Joe has borrowed, and are witnessed to the St. Valentine's Day hit. To escape the individuals that participated in the massacre, Joe decides the only way to save Jerry and he from being killed is to take a job with an all girl band that is leaving for Florida. The plan is to lose their identities and escape the city without the mobsters' knowledge; this is done by Joe becoming Josephine and Jerry becoming Geraldine. Joe, however, becomes attracted to Sugar, played by Marilyn Monroe, and this puts a wrench in the plans due to his infatuation for her. Jerry is accepting the role he has taken on, Geraldine; he even goes out with a millionaire that is swooning for her/him and comes back stating that he is engaged.
Throughout the movie the viewer is able to understand the significance that director was trying to convey in the films comedic sense. Joe is coming of age and needs to see that his womanizing needs to end in order to grow up. Jerry who is already looking at all the angles wants to always do the right thing. The emphasis that is shown on how Jerry is the voice of reason is shown throughout the movie. In the scene where Joe is trying to convince Jerry to give him all the money that they made for the week of work so that he, Joe, can go to the track because he knows a sure winner, points out that Joe still needs to grow-up and take on responsibilities. This is a prevalent theme throughout due to the focus being on Joe's manipulation of Sugar by being her best friend when he is Josephine and asking questions as to what type of man she likes, to than becoming the exact man she is looking for down to the glasses, being a millionaire, owning a twelve room yacht and being a helpless man in her eyes. Joe's use of manipulation and getting what he wants is all that he is concerned with, until in a moment of realizing he truly has feelings for Sugar. Sugar has become not just someone he is trying to win over, she becomes his friend. Joe sees Sugar as someone he cannot hurt; he doesn't want to deceive her anymore.
Does Joe do the right thing? The film gives the sense of danger, romance, and human nature. Will love conquer all? Will truth be the best remedy?