Some Like It Hot

A confession: I’ve never found much humor in the cross-dressing trope. Not even when Monty Python did such bits—and they used to do them constantly—did I ever find them to be particularly funny. So this movie seemingly had a strike against it going in, at least from my perspective. And then it turns out...yeah, it’s pretty much what I expected. I’m not saying this film is bad; there’s enough entertainment herein to make it worth a look, and it has peak Marilyn Monroe in a featured role, which is worth way more than just a look. But outside the spectacle of Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon dressed as chicks, and some decent bits of gangland joking in the running-from-mobsters subplot, there isn’t nearly enough that’s truly funny in this film. Not to mention that it runs too long and drags towards the end. Overall, and especially regarding its hook, a lot of this flick just left me…wait for it…cold. Oh, well—not every classic is equally classic. 

Monkey Business

As with the titular primates, antics like this are only so amusing. It's surprising that this one is a bit of a miss, as it not only features Cary Grant (normally comedy gold) and Ginger Rogers (a star's star if there ever was one), but also provides opportunities to stare at a fairly young Marilyn Monroe. Alas, even such luminary presences cannot overcome an uneven script that features more silliness than actual comedy. Once upon a time, antics like this were all people needed to see to have a good time at the movies, and I wouldn't entirely call this a waste of time; there are good moments for sure. But overall, this flick just lacks a certain funny essence that the best comedic movies -- even those from way back in the day -- had and have in spades.