The bold masterpiece to put Marilyn Monroe in screen history

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2019)

How unbelievably historical are the scenes in which Marilyn Monroe, playing Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, a struggling singer looking for love and a good life, sings those beautiful love ballads; first time standing in front of her band and second time, sitting on the side of a piano, confessing she is "through with love"--both times so real and so timeless.
She is such a cynical character, but she is a timeless work of art, her flamboyancy befitting perfectly among the likes of equally cynical characters, from the mobster Spats Colombo (George Raft) and his circle, to Detective Mulligan (Pat O'Brien) who is pursuing justice for his ego--and then, of course, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) the two musicians on the run, disguised as the opposite sex. Billy Wilder created a world filled with characters who are all looking for primordial things: Mulligan, for instance, loves taunting the mobsters he is investigating, as he throws his cigar in their face and yelling in the mobsters' big boss hearing device--how he would love to nail them, only to feel smarter.
But the main boldness of this film is the sex shape-shifting of its two lead characters, Joe and Jerry, as they struggle to survive and adapt to the habits of the opposite sex like, you know, going into the correct (or incorrect) bathroom. Yet by keeping the act rolling and by hiding its liberal views, this film shines through its comedic genius. There is a rhythm to everything. The characters, while uneducated, are smart, witty and quick to answer. Comedic timing is on point; there are dozens of techniques, characters and scenarios which I recognize and are attempted to be remade even in today's comedies.
There is a scene in which Joe, disguised as a millionaire and acting as a subtle parody to Cary Grant, attempts to win Sugar over. He lies about having a yacht and how he will take her there and whatnot. These characters live in the moment and flow with an incredible freedom and precision. In this scene, he and Sugar change lines on the spot: "Look, if you're interested in whether I am married or not..."; "Oh, I'm not interested at all."; "Well, I'm not."; "That's very interesting" Sugar closes with an eager smile.
Billy Wilder made a mess of unorthodox characters, all driven by Darwinist senses: Joe and Jerry claim to be pals looking out for each other, but as they get closer to Sugar, they constantly try to out-smart each other to win her, while Sugar is straight-up: "I want a millionaire" and she admits she is not very bright. Watching this film, you get the feeling they could be caught at any time, and I will not spoil the ending, but I will tell you that the ending line is what truly seals this film's place on the pantheon of greatness. I will not tell you what it is, but it completely makes you wonder whether Joe and Jerry were playing the joke on everyone else or the other way around--and if so, did anyone care?
"Some Like It Hot" is one of those masterpieces which will be remembered for how great of a comedy it is and not much more; but the scenes with Marylin Monroe are of an inviting sexuality--all dressed in glamour, presentable, yet igniting primordial thoughts. These are characters whose motives change to what brings them immediate pleasure, forget the consequences, he can find out that I am a man after the wedding! What's the big deal, anyway?