"Some
Like it Hot " on DVD
The Original "Tootsie?"
Billy Wilder's classic comedy of mistaken identity a good showcase for
the talents of its three main stars, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and
Tony Curtis. It's no wonder it was nominated for seven Oscars.
Lemmon and Curtis are starving jazz musicians forced into hiding after
they witness a mob hit. They disguise themselves as girls and embark on
a trip to Florida with an all girls' band.
Naturally, things don't proceed according to plan. Daphne (Lemmon) starts
getting chased by an old playboy (Joe E. Brown) who wants to marry her,
while Josephine (Curtis) falls under the spell of Monroe's siren song
causing him to adopt yet another disguise in order to woo her.
Then there's the mob boss (George Raft), who refuses to give up on his
obsession to find and 'air out' the duo, arrives in Florida for a convention,
spies Lemmon and Curtis, and starts the chase all over again.
Lemmon and Curtis are good in their parts and there are some wonderful
moments, for instance when Curtis adopts his best Cary Grant impression
in order to woo Monroe. As for Monroe, she's very good in her role as
the bimbo looking for a rich husband. Her acting is better than that for
which she has often been given credit, and her costumes are far sexier
and more revealing than one would think possible in the 1950's.
The DVD is presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio, though
it isn't enhanced for 16x9 TV's. This is a shame, because it forces widescreen
TV owners to zoom the picture out, which reduces the picture's detail.
Other than that, the black and white picture is very good, with good contrasts
and not a lot of grain.
The audio is enhanced Dolby Digital 5.1 surround (and Dolby Digital mono),
and the quality is okay. Not surprisingly considering the movie's monaural
source, there isn't a lot of surround info and that's okay.
Extras a limited to the original theatrical trailers and a couple of
"Facts from the Vault" on the box's back panel.
Some Like it Hot, from MGM Home Video
122 min. black and white, widescreen (1.66:1), not 16x9 TV compatible,
Dolby Digital
Starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis
Written by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Directed by Billy Wilder.
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