Some Like It Hot is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

Some Like It Hot opened to critical and commercial success and is considered to be one of the greatest comedy of all time.

The film was produced without approval from the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code), because it features LGBT-related themes, including cross-dressing. The overwhelming success of Some Like It Hot is considered one of the reasons behind the retirement of the Hays Code.

Billy Wilder

He's surely one of of the most talented comedy director of Hollywood. He was born in Austria in 1906, and migrated to Hollywood in 1933 when the nazis came to power in Germany.

His directing style is focused on the story telling, dialogues, with a great sense of gag, rather than virtuoso cinematography.

He is also praised for his actor direction: he directed fourteen different actors in Oscar-nominated performances.

He was the first director, with John Huston, to stand against the infamous black listing of "anti national activists" which lead to MacCarthy's dark period.

Casting

Tony Curtis was first selected to play the playboy, then Jack Lemon (who collaborated few times with Billy Wilder later on). Finally Marilyn wanted to join, and that was a good surprise for the crew.

Filming

The filming has become legendary of how difficult it is for a demanding director to work with a difficult star. Marilyn had already mental breakdowns and she was taking pills. Some scenes where she had to say even single lines had to be taken dozen of times. She shines here as the absolute brainless sex symbol, and at the same time a touching, fragile display of emotions.

Wilder said: "Anyone can remember lines, but it takes a real artist to come on the set and not know her lines and yet give the performance she did!"

Years later, Wilder noted "I think there are more books on Marilyn Monroe than there are on World War 2, and there's a great similarity."

Style and Heritage

Some Like It Hot is a romantic comedy, a buddy movie, a crime caper, and a musical. It shines for its gags, sparkling dialogues, fast paced rhythm, and the underlying challenge of morality and social conventions. But there’s more to it than its sparkling surface, though. It is an anthem in praise of tolerance, acceptance of different and possibly flawed identities, and the possibility of transformation. "Well, nobody's perfect."