Some Like It Hot
2006-04-19 22:28 - General
I've been a happy NetFlix subscriber for some time. I had participated in the local Hollywood Video's "unlimited rental" plan for a while, but quickly found that I disliked every movie that I rented. I saw all the good ones. NetFlix, on the other hand, with a different operation model manages to stock a much wider selection, and presents it in a way that lets me effortlessly find all sorts of things.
As a result, I find some movies I like that I never would have expected I'd like. Old movies, for one. Being a "kid" at 25 years old, I generally find movies from the 60's and earlier to be .. well they just feel wrong. They're different, and different enough to just not seem very good. When I think of old entertainment, the strongest identifiers are Leave It To Beaver, The Brady Bunch, the Three Stooges, and I Love Lucy. Fine shows (the latter two I even like), but they're all clearly from another era when you watch them. They're so much more wholesome, in general.
So, I was rather surprised last night, when I watched Some Like It Hot, made back in 1959. NetFlix's description started off by saying, "With its transvestitism, palpable sex and murder, Billy Wilder's legendary screwball comedy reveals dark, hilarious roots." But, of course, I didn't actually expect "palpable sex."
Well, I was pretty much wrong. And I found out clearly why Marilyn Monroe, who played the movie's leading lady, was such the sex symbol of her time that she was.
So, they showed: her undressing for bed, and leaning out to say goodnight, in just her bra. They showed her in two surprisingly cleavage-a-poppin' dresses. And look at the back of that second one! There was no "sex scene" like you'd find in modern movies, just some kissing. But it certainly was palpable.
Now I always knew, deep down, that sex has been in the forefront of man's mind from the beginning. They don't call it the "worlds oldest profession" for nothing. But until last night, I always had the impression that old TV and movies were very clean-cut and "proper," that they pretended this wasn't the case. But now I know better.
