Take Two is a series from reporters (and movie buffs) Fritz Freudenberger and Isabelle Curtis to review entertainment options in the region. This Valentine’s Day, our pick is the 1959 classic “Some Like It Hot,” directed by Billy Wilder and starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. It is available for streaming on Youtube (free with ads) and on DVD at Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library.  

Fritz: This month, we wanted something romantic for Valentine’s Day, but nothing too sappy, cheesy, or sad (see our last three reviews). If I had to describe “Some Like it Hot” in one word, it would be "zany."

The film follows two bumbling Prohibition-era musicians who get caught up in a mob murder and go on the lam by integrating into an all-woman jazz band, complete with cross-dressing disguises. During their self-imposed witness protection program at an exclusive Florida resort, one becomes obsessed with the band’s blonde bombshell lead singer (Monroe) and the other finds unconventional romance with an unexpected admirer.  

Almost 70 years old, this film holds up. Curtis and Lemmon give a stellar buddy-buddy performance peppered with slapstick comedy, brotherly competition, and loyalty that made their relationship shine. The script is witty and smart, with zingers any screenwriter should be proud of. The cherry on top is the final five-minute scene, punctuated by a closing punchline that has quickly become one of my favorite film moments.   

I didn’t laugh out loud much, but I often lit up at clever moments. The core cast delivered a fun performance, with more nuanced character development from Monroe and Lemmon than I expected. Where I think it really shone was the supporting cast, including a gaggle of rowdy and “unladylike” bandmates, a persistent millionaire suiter, and a gang of Chicago mobsters ripped straight out of a Dick Tracy comic.   

What problems I had didn't define the movie, and they seemed like products of its time. Not-uncommon moments of misogyny were punchlines, which felt tone deaf. It also fell into the common rom-com cliche where a protagonist’s campaign of deception is quickly forgiven rather than seen as a problematic foundation for a relationship. Lastly, the early backstory dragged on while I was waiting for the plot to get going, which was a lot considering the two-hour run time.  

I see why this film is a classic. Both ahead of its time, and a product of it, it’s worth a watch if you want something low-stakes and charming.  

3.5/5 wigs  

Is: Here’s a history lesson. From 1934 to 1968, most films from major U.S. studios were subject to a set of self-censorship guidelines known as the Motion Picture Production Code, more commonly called “The Hays Code.” When “Some Like it Hot” was released in 1959, the code was active but already in decline due to shifting cultural attitudes.    

It was a long list of “don’ts” and “be carefuls” meant to protect the moral fiber of the American people. Rules included no depictions of violence, suggestive nudity, “sex perversion” (aka homosexuality), interracial relationships, men and women in bed together (you may be familiar with the married couple sleeping in twin beds phenomena) or “excessive, lustful kissing.” That’s just a few.    

What makes “Some Like It Hot” interesting is that it was released without code approval and became a box office smash anyway. And, oh boy, does it dance to the code’s death knell. We’ve got mob shootouts, enough gender hijinks for a Shakespearean comedy and the tease of a Monroe wardrobe malfunction every two seconds. And we can’t forget the several minutes of Curtis and Monroe’s excessive, lustful kissing (in a reclined position, no less!)    

Typically, if movies in this era had characters that broke the code, their “wickedness” was punished by the narrative. That doesn’t happen here. Everyone sails off into the sunset, and it all adds up to a film that has aged shockingly well. Lemmon’s character, who seems all too willing to don ladies’ wear and marry a wealthy suitor (even if it's only for alimony payments), felt particularly iconic.    

My issues mirror those of my co-reviewer: a little too much misogyny and romantic deception for my taste. That’s usually my problem with the rom-com genre in general, so for an almost 70-year-old film, I can’t judge it too harshly.     

4/5 wigs