MovieChat Forums > Some Like It Hot (1959) Discussion > Incredibly overrated

Incredibly overrated

posted 16 years ago by SimonForte
87 replies | jump to latest

A lot of respectable lists and institutions have this as one of the greatest comedies of all time. Please.

I didn't laugh out loud once at this movie. Sure it may make you crack a smile here and there, but lets remember one thing...

A lot of respectable lists and institutions have this as one of the greatest comedies of all time.

It just isn't that funny. Maybe it is because it hasn't withstood the test of time, or maybe standards were lower back then. Who knows. But if that is the case, then its time to take it off those lists. Are we just keeping that title because it was funny at the time? There have been so many movies, on all different comedic levels that have surpassed this. It was just so disappointing to watch because of the hype(wierd for a movie out about 50 years ago).

[–] Its_a_me_Enzo 15 years ago

I don't think it's incredibly overrated. Only a little bit; a lot of the classics tend to get overpraised by critic groups. For instance, I thought the mob showing up to the same hotel seemed forced, and some of the characters were a bit shallow. But come on; if you couldn't laugh at Joe's pick-up methods, or the "Nobody's perfect" ending, you missed out.

[–] m-slovak79 15 years ago

i have a feeling the OP is right overall.

I just feel that they give way to much weight to older movies.

sadly, your totally right! Because i think a lot of critics etc praise a good percentage of older films SOLELY because 'in there day' they where considered great and where ahead of there time etc etc. so while i can see giving credit to that sort of stuff and all is fine but at the end of the day when you look at ALL movies, and especially anything over the last 20-30ish years, most stuff prior to the 1960's just feels plain dated if you ask me.

so while i have not seen 'Some Like It Hot' (1959) in it's entirety yet. i have seen bits and pieces of it on TV a while ago and to be frank, i think the film is mostly for eye candy to see Marilyn Monroe more than actually being a good film. :) (i have not rated the film yet simply because i need to see it in it's entirety before i form my final opinion but i think what i said here will for the most part be true)

i just feel 'most movies' prior to the 1960's in general that are rated really high are usually almost always quite overrated. (although i am of the opinion that the bulk of GREAT stuff (i.e. as in 9/10 or higher) has been made from around 1990 to date. although there's been some great stuff in the 60's/70's/80's but they start to become fewer and further between)

A hell of a lot better than the vulgar crap that passes for "comedy" today.

i assume your somewhat old? (say 50+ years old minimum. no offense)

because while some Comedy's nowadays ain't that good i think there's still a moderate amount that are good but i think something that's a little more old school (at least for modern standards (say 1980's to date?)) that i thought was quite funny was 'Planes Trains & Automobiles' (1987) ... but i guess depending on your standards could even still be to 'vulgar'? ... but i suspect if you got a high moral standard and are like 60-70+ years old then odds are anything even semi recent (say last 20-25 years or so) will be the end of the world.

about the only "comedy's" that i can think of off the top of my head that are actually funny that where not made in the 1980's or newer are... 'The Three Stooges' (and they are not even movies either) as i think there funny at times and just entertaining to watch in general unlike the bulk of other stuff in these times.

i will admit i have not seen to much stuff in general prior to the 1960's but it's mostly because i feel that, generally speaking, most films prior to the 1960's are just to dated vs anything recent.

but even if your quite a bit older than me i can sort of already see a change in today's kids vs my generation and i ain't even that old that like some types of comedy's that i think are just plain horrible like "Borat" etc etc. so i am sure in your case if what i experienced is any indication of change over a little 10-15 year time span that for you it's got to be horrible nowadays vs your 'glory days' ;)

but it's cool reading some of the post about these older people with viewing movies that where out way back in the day when they where a kid etc ;) (i almost always appreciate that much like what "aciolino" said on one of his/her posts here ;) )

i also have to say... in general i prefer more serious films over comedy's but it's still cool to get a good laugh from time to time ;)

p.s. i am 30 year old guy (born in 1979) for whatever that's worth. but i suspect most of these old days films (say stuff made in the 1950's or older) will probably mostly appeal to the dinosaurs (i.e. old people out there. (no offense, just having a little joke is all ;) )

and just for measure... the oldest film that i am a fairly big fan of is... 1961's 'The Hustler' with Paul Newman as that's definitely my favorite black and white film and just a solid film by any standard. but in general when i think of the 'cream of the crop' in 1960's films i tend to think 'Sergio Leone' as his Westerns with Clint Eastwood in the mid to late 60's where great along with his 'Once Upon A Time In The West' (1968).

---
My Vote History ... http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=11026826
---

[–] denchophile-1 15 years ago

Why bother posting that you don't find SLIH funny? Just ... don't post anything!! Post positive stuff on other boards related to what are YOUR funniest movies. Sheesh.

[–] Zoomorph 15 years ago

This movie is 50 years old. It cannot be viewed in the same way as a movie made in 2009. You might not find it funny just because the jokes were copied from it and have become cliches by now.

~ Observe, and act with clarity. ~

[–] Zoomorph 15 years ago

Just watched this movie for the first time and it was great! Expectations far surpassed.

~ Observe, and act with clarity. ~

[–] Jessica-656 15 years ago

Your statement that it's "wierd" that a 50-year-old movie should get so much "hype" makes me wonder whether you, like so many people, are prejudiced against old movies just on general principles (black and white movies - blech!). Of course, you have a perfect right to your opinion, but the trouble with a lot of popular "best movie" lists these days is that so many of the voters seem to have no clue that there were any movies being made before their adolescence. Perhaps the official critic's lists are weighted the other way just to compensate?

Someone else mentioned that nowadays it's so easy to throw cheap sex jokes and body function jokes into a film. One overlooked advantage of the "bad old days" was that only the best could get around the censors, and they had to use wit, finesse and a certain subtlety to do it.

You mentioned a couple of comedies that you rate higher than SLIH. I'd be interested to hear more about the ones you like, and why you like them, instead of just saying "Some Like It Hot - ick!"

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] norberte-1 14 years ago

i saw this movie when it came out and i didn't like it then and i haven't changed my mind. I don't understand all the fuss about it.

[–] pharmakon 14 years ago

you saw it as an adult when it first came out???? you must be in your 70s at least, congratulations on being able to use the internet

ebert's review

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20000109%2 FREVIEWS08%2F1090301%2F1023

[–] cluvonj 14 years ago

Everyone needs to read that review. Its wonderful and on the money. I think that the ones who feel this movie is overrated or not as funny as it was made out to be just dont get the humor of this movie. The brillancy of the writing and the delivery by the actors plus the things going on in the scenes that are not dialogue. Its one of those things that one gets it or they don't and if one can't see it they just won't be able to. It's the same way about people getting Marilyn and others don't. It is understandable to those who do "get it" why it has been voted the funniest comedy even if the humor is not the rip roaring roll on the floor stomach hurting kind of funny, that is not what it is about. It doenst have to be over the top funny like that to still be one of the funniest comedy movies ever.

[–] clivey6 14 years ago

This is a near perfect movie imo, a bona fide classic but it has to be said that like just about any movie, you still need to get into it, have your own personal take on it.

When I was a teen I took my mate to see it, feeling sure he'd love it as much as I did. He didn't get it. The only joke he laughed at was the one about the woman band conductor Sue saying all her girls were virtuosos 'and I intend to keep it that way' (wink) which, okay, is a good joke, but not really where the film is at in terms of humour. She's not really a humorous character.

One problem is the slow start. It's maybe five mins before anything that funny happens. I would even go so far as to say it might kill the movie for the uninitiated. The movie did badly in test previews and I would suggest this is the reason why.

But it also has that Jewish (but also British) complaining humour where everything is about to go wrong and Lemmon is complaining about it all. Some like that stuff, others don't. If you don't suspend disbelief and think the gangsters are really out to get them, that's a problem too. You're meant to be in that world.

[–] heyuactor 14 years ago

Good comments, clivey.

"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] dmnemaine 14 years ago

I think what may be a problem for some people with this movie (especially men) is that it doesn't treat masculinity seriously. A lot of males take their masculinity very seriously, and don't find it humorous when it's made fun of. There is also a definite homosexual undertone in the Jack Lemmon/Joe E. Brown subplot that I would not be surprised turns off some people (again especially men). Western society is too rigidly divided in what is considered "masculine" and "feminine", and that's what this film is poking fun at, and it does an extremely good job at what it does because it apparently makes some people uncomfortable.

[–] madbandit20002000 13 years ago

You're right, dmenemaine. The thing about "Some Like it Hot" is that it's not just a slapstick comedy, but a challenge of genders.

Do you have to be ruthless and violent like "Spats" Columbo and his goons in order to be a man or is it being footloose like Joe and Jerry, before they meet with Sugar and Osgood?

When they cross-dress and join the all-female band, Joe wants freedom from the wrath of Spats, but Jerry wants all the girls. However, Joe gets to know Sugar better when he's a girl and realizes that being a traditional alpha male hurts people, both intentionally and unintentionally. He knows when Sugar sings "I'm Through With Love" (Spoilers: when he "reveals" himself, it's kinky and hysterical and romantic).

As for Jerry, he gets "security" with a old, lovelorn horndog billionaire. There's definitely a homosexual undertone, since both of men love women too damn much.

And anyone who thinks this film is over-rated needs to get their head examined.