Blast from the Past- A Billy Wilder Double Feature

For the grand relaunch of Filmjerk, I thought it appropriate to start a new "segment" of sorts.  "Blast from the Past" will focus on the classics.  Given that the whole of Filmjerk tends to focus on post-1990 cinema, the term "classics" will include films up to that period in time. So don't be surprised to see films like Raging Bull lumped in with older films like The Great Dictator.  I've internally deemed a classic as any film that has a) affected the current landscape of modern cinema and b) holds up to repeat viewings in a different era.

Today we'll take a look at (arguably) Billy Wilder's 2 greatest works- Some Like it Hot, and The Apartment.  It is hard to view the films as works independent from one another given the remarkable similarities in style, tone, talent, and quality.  And while each has its merits individually (and we'll certainly take a look at those) the pair is much stronger than the sum of its parts.  Looking at film as the ongoing, everchanging landscape that it is, these 2 films left one, remarkably large footprint rather than 2 average-sized prints, and directors for decades have thanked Wilder for that.

First to Some Like it Hot.  What a wonderful flick.  It is wonderful in its concept, its execution, its simplicity, just about everything.  That being said, it does have its flaws as any film does.  Just 2 sentences in and I'm already finding this new segment sort of hard.  How do you criticize a masterpiece?  How do you look at the Mona Lisa and say "her forehead is enormous"?  With balls- that's how.  But let's talk about the plethora of beauty first.  Some Like It Hot stands the test of time like few films I've ever seen have.  It isn't a chore to watch.  You can sit down with a generation tailored toward Judd Apatow and Kevin Smith and they will be in stitches when Jack Lemmon comes home drunk, maracas in hand, claiming that he is engaged to the most wonderful man.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Some Like it Hot is a comedy of errors.  Sort of.  It is also a screwball comedy.  Sort of.  I guess I would call it a "screwball comedy of errors".  Loosely using tropes created by The Bard, Some Like it Hot is the story of 2 down on their luck musicians looking for work.  They find some work 100 miles away and have to borrow a car to get to the gig.  Upon arriving at the garage where the car is housed, they witness the murder of 7 Northside Chicago gangsters (an event we refer to as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre) and go on the lam.  Having heard of a gig in Florida, they see their chance for escape.  The catch?  The gig is for an all female band.  There is a quick device used to get the men employed and they head to the train station.  Upon arrival, there is some immediate suspicion, but nothing that the men (women?) can't handle.  Most important on the train is their introduction to Sugar Kane, played by Marilyn Monroe.  She is a tart with a drinking problem, but undeniably cute and bubbly.  They host a party to quickly gain some allies amongst the women, and perhaps set the stage for some slap and tickle later on.

They make it to Florida and Daphne (the monicker Jack Lemmon has selected for himself) is in favor of immediately hitting the road.  He argues that the mob will be looking for them in every band in America.  A fair point, Josephine (Tony Curtis's name of choice) explains that they will not be looking for 2 women playing in an all-female band.  Having had the chance to buddy up to Sugar, Josephine lays the groundwork for some tomfoolery of his own.  He "predicts" that rather than falling for another saxophone-playing ne'er-do-well (which he/she is) Sugar will find a well-intentioned millionaire.  A young and single one to boot.  While this is happening, Daphne has caught the eye of one of the elder residents of the hotel where they are performing named Osgood Fielding.  Dirty old man doesn't really do him justice.  He is a spoiled rich boy all grown up.  But he is lovable.  By God, is he lovable.

Later, at the beach, Sugar Cane is playing around with Daphne.  Josephine is strangely absent, but neither pays this much mind.  Sugar clumsily bumps into an over-the-top rich-looking fellow who introduces himself as Shell Oil, Jr.  Dear christ.  Really?  But Sugar pays no mind as she doesn't exactly have a lot of mind to pay.  Shell Oil, Jr. is very clearly Josephine dressed back up like a man with glasses on.  He explains that he has been unsuccessful in love and pulls the hard-to-get card early.  Daphne comes over to see what all the fuss is about and decides to take Sugar back up to the hotel room where Josephine should be to blow his/her cover.  Making a quick, thru-the-window change, Josephine is able to conceal her identity.  At about this time, Daphne receives an invitation from Osgood Feeling to join him on his yacht, but Josephine has other plans.  Daphne will convince Osgood that she has terrible seasickness and Josephine, Dressed as Shell Oil, Jr. will take their place on the yacht.  From here the two couples both have a romantic evening together.  Yes, even Daphne discovers the wonderful heart of Osgood Feeling.

In the final act the mob holds a "convention" at the exact hotel where the women/men are staying.  Through a series of hysterical errors, their identities are discovered and the rest of the film is spent with the pair avoiding being whacked whilst simultaneously avoiding blowing their respective covers with their respective lovers.  In one of the best conclusions ever written Osgood Feeling states the moral of the story "Well, nobody's perfect!" as they sail off into the sunset.

I promise in Wilder's hands the plot isn't half as confusing as what I just made it out to be.  Its simplicity adds to its spectacle and vice versa.  Wilder embraces all of the cliches of the genre, and those which he doesn't use, he creates.  There is something about not trying to break new ground that is ground-breaking.  The historical significance of this film is undeniable.  It brought drag to the masses- something that wouldn't be accepted again until Dustin Hoffman dressed in drag in a little film called Tootsie (even sparking a theatrical re-release of Wilder's classic).  Almost everything about this film is perfect.  Almost.  The casting is damn near spot on.  Jack Lemmon steals the film, but Tony Curtis keeps great pace as do the archetypal gangsters cast as Spatts and his posse.  And Joe E. Brown might be the cutest old man on film until Jack Lemmon re-paired with Walter Matthau for Grumpy Old Men 40 years later.  My biggest problem is with Marilyn Monroe.  Now smart money says Wilder probably had to attach her to the project in order to put these other 2 relative unknowns in drag on screen in 1959. But to me it is a bit of a shame.  She tries.  You can tell she tries.  And frankly it is refreshing to see Monroe play against type, going for the cute and bubbly rather than the scandalous and seductive.  But she just can't match the rest of the cast.

There are also a few issues with the story.  For one, the discovery by Spatts that these 2 women are, in fact the 2 men from the massacre is a little quick and contrived.  It was like Wilder went "Shit, this thing can't get any longer.  Well, let's cut out half of the third act."  Given the suspension of disbelief we have granted thus far in the film, it isn't overly distracting, but could have been improved certainly.  I also would have enjoyed seeing the men's transformation into Josephine and Daphne, but now I'm getting nit-picky.  Let's move to The Apratment, shall we?  I promise it'll be shorter.

I like The Apartment a bit more than Some Like it Hot.  While still a comedy, it has a decidedly more melancholic tone.  The Apartment is the story of C.C. Baxter (played once again by Jack Lemmon), a cog in a corporate machine.  In order to advance within his enormous company, he allows the use of his apartment to his superiors for their extramarital affairs.  When we meet Baxter, he is already about fed up with juggling 4 different bosses around.  It is leading to complaints from his neighbors and landlord, scheduling conflicts, and a general icky feeling.  But the promise of advancement keeps him true to his commitment to play the fool.  He begins a flirtatious relationship with Ms. Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), who operates the elevator in his building and tries, unsuccessfully, to court her.

He is called into Mr. Sheldrake's (played by the legendary Fred MacMurray) office one day on the 27th floor.  This is huge.  Little does Baxter know, he is walking into a trap.  Mr. Sheldrake has heard about his arrangement with the other bosses and in a brilliant plot twist, requests exclusive use of the apartment for his own philandering.  With the promise of that promotion finally coming through, Baxter agrees.  He gets the promotion, but it doesn't take long to realize that Mr. Sheldrake's mistress is none other than Ms. Kubelik.  Baxter is heartbroken and begins dating much in the same way as the other executives he has seen before him.  One night he is getting drunk at the local watering hole and decides to bring a gal back to his apartment.  He walks in to find Ms. Kubelik unconscious, having attempted suicide by overdosing on his sleeping pills.

The rest of the story is about Baxter manning up.  He is promoted yet again, but his moral conflict is boiling to the surface.  As Ms. Kubelik continues to win his heart as she recovers in his apartment, he begins to see exactly what Mr. Sheldrake is.  Again, in another brilliant conclusion Baxter once more gives a key to Mr. Sheldrake.  A few seconds later, Mr. Sheldrake enters Baxter's corner office as he is packing up for the day and tells him that he gave him the wrong key.  Baxter states that he gave exactly the key that he meant to and that if this is what it takes to get the job, he can cram the job where the sun don't shine.  You go, Baxter!  Ms. Kubelik and Baxter presumably live happily ever after, but not before one of the most genuine, heart-touchiung scenes ever committed to celluloid over a simple game of Gin Rummy.

I have a harder time finding any criticism with The Apartment.  It is a near-perfect tale.  It is hilarious at times, heart-wrenching at others and both most of the time.  It boasts some of the greatest ensemble talent ever assembled and one of the greatest leading men of the past generation.  I can't say enough about Jack Lemmon as an actor.  He is beautiful.  That really is all there is to say.  Rare is the handsome man with perfect comedic timing, and Lemmon is his name-o.  If I were to change anything about The Apartment it would be that it occasionally slips further into gloom than I feel is necessary.  It at times loses sight that it is, in fact, a comedy.  While the suicide plot-line is absolutely necessary, I'm not sure that we need to see the brutal treatment of the doctor slapping Ms. Kubelik around to wake her up.  But I hesitate to even make these criticisms as to change anything about this film would be to bastardize it in some small way.

The Apartment and Some Like It Hot are classics now and were classics from the moment Wilder put pen to paper.  I don't think you'll find too many people who deny that.  But why?  Well they embrace what they are.  And rather than trying to revolutionize storytelling, they just strive to be the best at what they are.  And they succeed.  Some Like It Hot paved the way for The Apartment the following year.  Billy Wilder was Hollywood's funny-man.  Think a gentile Woody Allen of the golden age.  And the straightforward buffoonery of Some Like it Hot allowed him to explore deeper, darker comedy in The Apartment.  He was smart.  He kept what worked.  He shot both in black-and-white though technicolor had been the primary medium for over a decade, and he had faith that his leading man could make the leap from screwball comedy to dark comedy (some might even say drama).  Wilder gave us, with these 2 films, a permanent homage to a very particular place and time in Hollywood that people of my generation never got to experience.  And I thank him.

Overall Ratings
Some Like It Hot- 8/10
The Apartment- 10/10