Cinephiles can now stream Billy Wilder‘s iconic 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot on Prime Video, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. The 1959 classic from the Golden Age of Hollywood is considered by many to be among the all-time greats of American cinema and marks one of the last films Monroe would star in before her tragic death. While the movie’s groundbreaking legacy has stood the test of time, some in-the-making facts continue to surprise audiences, and for good reason.
Wilder’s audacious crime comedy pushed the boundaries of storytelling during the constraints of the Hays Code days, and the director sought to take Some Like It Hot to a new social level. What many fans may not realize is that this legendary film is actually a remake of a 1935 French movie called Fanfare d’Amour. The story of how Some Like It Hot evolved from its lesser-known predecessor into a historical milestone is as fascinating as the movie itself.
‘Some Like It Hot’ Was the Second Remake of the French Film ‘Fanfare D’Amour’
Produced without approval from the Hays Code, Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond co-wrote the taboo Some Like It Hot screenplay, which follows two musicians, Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemmon), who disguise themselves as women and join an all-female band to escape Chicago mobsters. Joe, posing as “Josephine,” falls for the band’s lead vocalist, Sugar “Kane” (Monroe), while Jerry, as “Daphne,” is pursued by a wealthy older man. Pure chaos erupts as their true identities are threatened, leading to hilarious scenarios and an unforgettable ending that champions love and friendship.
The inspiration behind the scandalous Some Like It Hot was indeed taken from the original screenplay of Fanfare d’Amour. The French film, directed by Richard Pottier, was more straightforward than Wilder’s adaptation, entirely absent of the gangster element. Instead, the story justifies the purpose of the two musicians’ need to cross-dress by focusing on their struggle to find work. Starring Fernand Gravey, Betty Stockfeld, and Julien Carette, Fanfare d’Amour was so popular another remake was made before 1959.
Believe it or not, Some Like it Hot is the second remake of the French comedy, as it was first remade in 1951 in West Germany under the title Fanfaren der Liebe. Unlike the Hollywood version, the German remake sees the two gender-bending characters join two bands—the first being a gypsy band, then another called Big Fletchit. The latter, however, features a blackface situation where the men paint their faces to join the band that has a similar name to Stepin Fetchit, per The Guardian. Despite the racist changes to the story, Fanfaren der Liebe was a big success, setting the groundwork for Wilder’s slapstick version eight years later.
Billy Wilder Added Gangster Elements to the American Version of ‘Some Like It Hot’
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Regardless of her mental depression during the production, Monroe was able to humorously play a character with more charm and likability than she ever had before. Sugar could have easily been reduced to a “bombshell” cliché, but the actress surprised Hollywood with her vibrant, bubbly aura and electric chemistry with her costars. Not to forget, Monroe’s rendition of “I Wanna Be Loved by You” became an instant classic that was a testament to her grand status as a Hollywood icon. The fact that Some Like It Hot was the second remake of Fanfare d’Amour only adds to the magnitude of the movie’s triumphant legacy. Wilder and Diamond took a lively French comedy and transformed it into a work of art that continues to inspire countless filmmakers decades later. With Some Like It Hot now available on Prime Video, there’s no better time to revisit this cinematic gem!
Some Like it Hot is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
Some Like It Hot
- Release Date
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March 15, 1959
- Runtime
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121 Minutes
- Director
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Billy Wilder
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