Some Like It Hot may be nearly seventy years old, but Marilyn Monroe's best movie is still one of the funniest films ever produced. Directed and co-written by the legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder, the film became a sensation when it debuted in 1959. Based on the 1935 film Fanfare of Love, Some Like It Hot follows jazz musicians Joe and Jerry in Prohibition-era Chicago. After witnessing a gangland shooting, the pair escape the city disguised as part of an all-women's band — but Joe's growing feelings for their new bandmate Sugar risk their entire operation.

A box-office smash that went on to be the best movie Marilyn Monroe was ever in (which recently got a re-release as part of the Criterion Collection) just remains one of the funniest films Hollywood has ever made.

Some Like It Hot Is A Perfect Comedy

Some Like It Hot Plays With A Lot Of Different Kinds Of Comedy

Some Like It Hot is a flawless comedy that has aged surprisingly well over the years. Some Like It Hot benefits from a broad approach to comedy, allowing the cast to play with all sorts of comical tones. There's a mix of wit and slapstick, especially once Joe and Jerry go into disguise as Josephine and Daphne. There are elements of screwball comedy with Joe's multiple layers of deception, as well as some rom-com elements that play out between him and Sugar.

There's also a great deal of dark and absurd humor, with a convention for gangsters resolving one of the film's few tense plotlines by simply killing the villains and being done with it. There are wacky characters and awkward situations, plus a surprisingly thoughtful look at men and women that was actually fairly progressive for the time. All of these beats build off one another, ensuring the audience never gets lost trying to justify the plot. The overall silly approach keeps the momentum going, from the opening sequence to the final moments on Osgood's boat.

Some Like It Hot Never Trades Character For Comedy

Some Like It Hot Never Loses Sight Of Jerry, Joe, And Sugar's Story

Some Like It Hot is endlessly silly, but it also notably never loses sight of the characters at the center of the story. Joe, Jerry, Sugar, and Osgood start out as broad concepts, but the performances bring a great deal of humanity to them. Despite stories of tensions on set between Marilyn Monroe with the cast and crew, there's a natural charm and deeply romantic edge to her performance as Sugar. Even when the characters act selfishly, they feel a touch of very real desperation.

Some Like It Hot is now available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD as a part of the Criterion Collection.

Sugar's desperation to find a good man, Joe's drive to prove that it could be him, and Jerry's desire to just get out of trouble all make them instantly relatable and likable. None of the characters ever feel unrealistic or too strange, while still being goofy enough to make whatever kind of comedic beat they're in work. It's a tricky balance that even great comedies can have trouble with. With Some Like It Hot, that struggle is non-existent. Every scene moves the characters forward, even if they're being hilarious along the way.

Some Like It Hot's Ending Is Still One Of Hollywood's Best Finales

Some Like It Hot's Final Moments Are Romantic And Hilarious At The Same Time

This all builds to the ending of Some Like It Hot, which is often considered by outlets like Vulture and The Independent as one ofthe best film endings in Hollywood history. After making their escape to Osgood's boat, Joe and Sugar share a kiss that pays off the natural charm of both performers. Meanwhile, Jerry tries to get out of his marriage to Osgood, eventually relenting and revealing he's actually a man in disguise — which doesn't bother Osgood at all, catching Jerry by surprise.

Just like the rest of the film around it, Some Like It Hot's ending balances a great deal of comedy and character with impeccable ease. There's the sweet back-and-forth between Sugar and Joe, contrasted against the pleasantly comical wall that is Osgood serving as a perfect foil for Jerry. It's funny, romantic, and clever, just like the entire movie that preceded it. Some Like It Hot is an important film for many historical and cultural reasons, but the biggest reason it's endured as a cinematic classic for nearly seventy years is that it's just plain funny.

Source: Vulture, The Independent