Classic Movie: Some Like it Hot, turns 50!

With today’s headlines, I feel I need a real break from reality. A little nostalgia does the trick for me. On that note, let’s go back in time. “Some Like it Hot,” (1959) turns fifty this year. This movie still makes people laugh today. I’ve still to find actors which can do a better job than Lemmon and Curtis impersonating women. In fact, the American Film Institute named it No. 1 on their list of the 100 best comedies of all time. I find it interesting that its 50^th will be celebrated in the Hotel del Coronado in Southern California. In the movie, it’s supposed to be a hotel in Miami. But this beautiful Victorian hotel in Southern California was the perfect backdrop for a funny story which takes place in the 1920′s.

The Del is celebrating the movie’s 50^th in September and fans of the movie can attend. The film’s producer Walter Mirisch and Tony Curtis will be attending the event. Fans will be sure to recognize the beautiful hotel and reminisce. Who knows, they may even see Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon’s ghost do a song and dance routine.

Here are some interesting facts about the movie:

• Although it didn’t get an Oscar, it was a box office hit, grossing 8 million initially, and several million more over the next few years
• This movie turned out to be Marilyn Monroe’s most lucrative financial deal in her career.
• Both Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe received Golden Globe Awards for their performance.
• In spite of its financial success and public accolades, the film received only one minor Academy Award for “Best Black and White Costume Design.” The people of 1959 thought the movie to be “too risqué!”
• Marilyn didn’t like her performance at all!
• Shot in black and white because Billy Wilder thought if done in color the males playing females would look ridiculous.
• Marilyn who plays Sugar Kane, is supposed to be 25, but Marilyn was actually 32.

Do you think Marilyn and Jack’s ghost will attend this birthday bash?