On March 29, 2009 a milestone was reached by one of mine and Drag Queen Diaries.com’s favorite films.   Billy Wilder’s comedic masterpiece, and the 2002 American Film Institutes Greatest American Comedy film of all time recepient,  Some Like It Hot.

The film starred Marilyn Monroe, but for my money co-stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon steal the show as Marilyn’s “bosom companions”.

Directed by Billy Wilder, who also co-wrote and produced the film, Some like It Hot also co-stars such luminaries as George Raft and comedian Joe E. Lewis.

Struggling musicians Joe and Jerry (Curtis and Lemmon) witness what looks like the St. Valentines Massacre of 1929. When spotted by the Chicago gangsters led by “Spats” Columbo (George Raft), they run for their lives.  Narrowly escaping with their lives, the two decide to skip town, only to find that the only musicians jobs are with an all-girl band who are headed to Florida.  So, they disguise themselves as women and call themselves Josephine and Geraldine, with Jerry later changing his name to Daphne.

They join the band and board the train to Florida, where they both fall for the band’s sexy lead vocalist and ukulele player, “Sugar Kane”, played by the ever so voluptuous Marilyn Monroe.  While in Florida, Joe “woos”  Sugar by creating a second alter-ego as a millionaire named “Junior”, the heir to Shell Oil, and adopting a Cary Grant-like voice.  Elsewhere, Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown), a real millionaire falls for Jerry in his “Daphne” disguise. One night, Osgood asks “Daphne” to go out on his yacht with him, but Joe talks Jerry into keeping Osgood ashore so he can sneak on board the yacht as “Junior” and “pitch more woo” with Sugar.

That night Osgood asks “Daphne” to marry him, and Jerry accepts, thinking he can take him for a huge settlement after the wedding ceremony.

But, when the Chicago gangsters that Joe and Jerry eye witnessed book themselves into the same hotel for a conference honoring “The Friends of Italian Opera”, they immediately recognize Joe and Jerry and after several hilarious chase scenes (and witnessing another mob hit), Jerry, Joe, Sugar and Osgood escape to Osgood’s Yacht and make their escape.  While on board the yacht, Sugar tells Joe that she is in love with him and not with “Junior”, and Jerry tries to explain to Osgood (as Daphne) that he cannot marry him, but Osgood is persistent in wanting to go through with the marriage.  In one final ditch effort to dissuade Osgood, Jerry finally has no choice but to tear off his wig and declare, “I’M A MAN”, to which Osgood, in the final line of dialogue in the film (and one of the best you’ll ever hear, in my opinion)  “Well….Nobody’s Perfect!”

That may be true, Osgood, but this film definately IS perfect, and will definately go down in drag history. Happy 50th and we’ll still be watching you in another 50 years to come!

Until Next Time

Happy Viewing!

Michael Queenstown

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