challenging the hegemonic discourse

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2016)

In the scene (Transformation) from the film 'Some Like it Hot" 1959, directed and produced by Billy wilder, we see Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) startled after they have witnessed a gangster murder scene that takes place in the 1929 Chicago. In an earlier scene the two musicians are looking for job and when they get offered an all paid gig in Florida they are very happy. However soon they will find out that the job is for women musician only. Here we have Joe looking frustrated and trying to come up with some other ideas while Jerry tells Joe what if they did it. What if they took the gig and pose as women. Now Originally Joe is against this idea and asks Jerry if he is out of his mind. But soon after, they find out that the gangsters are looking for them. Thus Joe decides to make the call and accept the gig in Florida. Now this is where it gets interesting. Here we have Joe, the alpha male making the call to accept the gig and as soon as he starts the conversation, he is able to switch his voice to a female voice on cue, without thinking about it. At the same time we have Jerry surprised and trying to copy and imitate Joe's voice and behavior. Next we get a cut to the next scene, were Joe and Jerry are dressed up as drag. In this scene they use (low angle tracking shot with top lighting) as they are walking side by side. Jerry is having a hard time walking in his outfit and his legs look more spread apart then Joe as they walk down the train station. Then we get another (tracking shot) and we see Jerry now known as Daphne, looking at Joe, now known as Josephine. Jerry takes one look at Joe as they are walking and he quickly turns around again to get a second look (POV shot). He seems confused as how easy it is for Joe to walk in that outfit so comfortably. He regains his composure and tries to imitate Joe. Once they see the girls boarding the train Jerry starts having doubts and tells Joe that it is no use and that "we cannot get away with this Joe." Joe reminds him that the name is Josephine now and tells him that, "wasn't this your idea?" Again, here we have the more masculine guy accepting his feminine persona more easily as the less masculine guy is confused and doubtful about his. For its time, this movie was revolutionary in my opinion. In challenging the hegemonic discourse of the time, or perhaps even now. Not only it challenged the idea of male masculinity but it also challenged heterosexuality and homosexuality such as (LGBT) politics. It renders the idea of biology mute and it instead creates a gray area of preference for sex. This is where we can apply the notion of queer theory. "queer theory challenges notions of homosexuality and heterosexuality within the mainstream discourse, and instead posits an understanding of sexuality that emphasizes shifting boundaries, ambivalence's, and cultural constructions that change depending on historical and cultural context." Adapted in part from Brooker, A Concise Glossary of Cultural Theory.
To further help explain my point of view, in the next scene we have Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) walking towards the wagon in the train station. Jerry that is somewhat confused and having a hard time, signals at Joe and lets him know of her presence. (POV shot to Sugar, eye line match, low angle tracking shot to her legs.) In this scene Sugar is walking with the same confidence as Jerry, when he was walking down the runway in train station. They even have somewhat similar jackets with fur and they both are making the same duck face with their lips. Both guys are sexually attracted to Sugar. But in the end we have Joe, the guy that is more masculine and able to switch back and forth between his personalities more easily ending up with Sugar. Mainly because he is confident of his masculinity. Then we have Jerry who also likes girls but towards the end he seems like he does not mind if he ends up with a guy. When later on Jerry tells Joe that he is engaged, Joe says "congratulations who is the lucky girl?" Jerry replies "me." At this point Joe looks at him shocked and reminds him that he is a boy and to keep saying that to him self. After repeating it a couple of times, Jerry replies and says "I wish that I was dead." Keep in mind that Jerry is still attracted to sugar during this whole time. But it seems like he doesn't mind marrying Osgood Fielding III, for security reasons. Perhaps a reference to a though job market for guys during those time. Over all the film does a great job of challenging the dominant ideological hegemony and it leaves the audience guessing and wondering.