Movies from the Heart—Some Like it Hot

It’s hard—on stage and in film—for a farce to succeed. Why? Because, by definition, it’s extreme—full of improbable situations and over-the-top characters. While you see it in theatre—and even there it’s rare—you just don’t see it much in film. But 1959’s Some Like it Hot, by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, falls into that category.

We start with two musicians, Joe and Jerry, who place bass and sax. Well, they would if they could get a gig. It’s 1929 Chicago and it is absolutely freezing cold. And our two heroes are very much down on their luck.

They go to their agent and hear him field a call about someone wanting a sax and bass and they need to be on the train to Florida that night for the gig. As soon as he’s off the phone they jump all over him to let them have the gig. But he keeps telling them they’re not right for it. But they keep up the pressure—they’ll do whatever’s necessary, they’ll change anything… then the agent tells them that unless they can change into girls it won’t work—it’s an all girl band. Bummer.

But the agent does find a job in a nearby town and they swear they can get there on time. But, of course, they have NO way to get there and can’t afford a bus or train. So Joe sweet-talks their agent’s secretary into letting them borrow her car.

Finally, a gig! They head to the garage to pick up the car and—lucky them—they witness a mob hit, AND the mob guys see them. They’re toast. They hightail it out of there and escape for the moment, but what are they going to do? These guys saw them—and they’ll track them down!

In the next scene we see the two of them walking down the train station dressed as women. And hilarity ensues as these two guys have to pretend to be women in front of all the members of the girl band. And both of them fall for Sugar Kane—but, then, what guy wouldn’t?

Take a look at the trailer for the film.

Is this film beyond the realm of possibility? No doubt. But it works. Why? Because the craziness doesn’t let up. When they get to Florida, Jerry is romanced by a man… and it’s worth waiting for the end of the film to see how that turns out—the last improbable moment provoking a final big laugh.

Just like screwball comedies—which are so hard to pull off that we just don’t see them much anymore—this kind of farce is almost impossible to do. But hey, don’t let that stop you. Someday someone will write one that kills. Maybe that could be you!

Next week we'll look at another film by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond—The Apartment.

Copyright © Diane Lake

22Dec24

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