Friday, May 01, 2015

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Second viewing; first viewed between 1983 and 1986.

Based on the movie Fanfare d'amour (1935), or possibly on its remake Fanfaren der Liebe (1951).

Two musicians hiding from gangsters join an all-woman band under disguise.

Ever since Shakespeare (but probably even earlier; I am not knowledgeable on that) people who disguise as a member of their opposite sex are fruitful material for comedy. Why is that so? Well, as I see it anything that diverts from normality is a matter for comedy. That is how one better sees what normality is, I guess. Or, being perhaps a little blunt, maybe that is just how you get to fill a couple of hours with events. Anyhow, this movie has some funny moments, and keeps things going at an engaging pace. It seems to please both normal people and sexually perverted ones, and that is somewhat fascinating from a philosophical point of view. Perhaps the deeper question is, do some people get a kick from perversion precisely because it is a perversion, that is, a departure from the norm? Or is perversion an inner condition that they possess which makes them see as normal what others see as abnormal? In the latter case, wouldn't they find certain things in this film less funny than most people do?

Rating: 63 (up from 47)

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