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Bonus video! Marilyn Monroe, muscle hunks, and the Star Trek connection to Some Like it Hot (Patreon)

Published:
2023-08-20 16:01:01
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Oh boy am I THRILLED to bring you this week's Bonus Video, because we've unearthed a bunch of documents that refute a long-held Hollywood legend about the film Some Like it Hot! I also have some great details about the not-famous-enough dancer who coached Marilyn Monroe through a variety of films, and also choreographed the infamous and super gay "Anyone for Love" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes -- featuring a particularly bold pinup model from old physique magazines. And there's also a delightful Some Like it Hot/Star Trek connection that I want to show you!

Files

Bonus video! Marilyn Monroe, muscle hunks, and the Star Trek connection to Some Like it Hot

Hello there! Oh boy am I THRILLED to bring you this week's Bonus Video, because we've unearthed a bunch of documents that refute a long-held Hollywood legend about the film Some Like it Hot! I also have some great details about the not-famous-enough dancer who coached Marilyn Monroe through a variety of films, and also choreographed the infamous and super gay "Anyone for Love" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes -- featuring a particularly bold pinup model from old physique magazines. And there's also a delightful Some Like it Hot/Star Trek connection that I want to show you!

Comments

Steve McLean

My guess about adding the mobster element is to make the tension in the story greater by raising the stakes. Without the life-and-death consequences it seems that the worst that would happen is that they would lose their job (certainly that presents higher stakes during the depression but not so in the fifties). The suspense, and comedy, is heightened every time they are close to being found out.

Elly Ross

You should look at the British tradition of Pantomime. These are musicals put on at Christmas, telling folk tales, fables and fairy stories (!!). They have included gender role reversal throughout their history, which goes back to the Mummers Plays in the Middle Ages. For example, the older female character is called the dame and will always be played by a man in drag. These plays are seen as traditional family entertainment and most British children will have seen one when growing up. I'll leave you to do any extra research if you want to. Oh and take a look at Danny La Rue, who I vividly remember from my childhood!

Allen Rasmussen

You probably already made the connection, but Bosom Buddies, which ran from 1980-1982 and starred a very young Tom Hanks, apparently was based on Some Like it Hot. In the case of the tv show, I believe the reason for the men to dress as women was that the only housing they could afford only allowed women. From a brief search, it looks like the producers actually asked for a show in which men dressed in drag because of the success of Some Like it Hot.

TBoneSF

Re: Cultural differences about someone willing to dress in drag just for work . There might be something to that because in the film Jack Lemon almost goes for it just for the work, but Tony Curtis' character refused ("No we couldn't")...until their lives are on the line. It might have just been for comedy, but it also might have been necessary to gradually warm the audience up to the idea so by the end of the movie they would buy the "nobody's perfect" ending. It wasn't until 1982's Victor/Victoria (a film I'd love for you to do deep dive on) and Tootsie where "drag just for work" was okay from the start. And those films are very interesting to compare in their approaches. Tootsie I think aged very poorly (I find most of its jokes lazy-to-offensive except for Bill Murray's adlibbed deadpan reactions) because the main character (young, reasonably attractive, white male) can't get work because he's a jerk. So even though he qualifies for something like 90% of roles that a person could earn a living with, he decides to take a recurring role meant for an older, not-traditionally-attractive woman. Such a role would be life-changing to an older female character actor and would be less 1% of available parts for a working actor. And after Michael outs himself, that role is gone forever. The show wouldn't dare re-cast or even have that type of character ever again for fear of the audience thinking "is that another dude in drag?". I think what "Michael" does is every bit as bad as what the main character in Soul Man does. Compare this to Victor/Victoria. She not only creates an act out of thin air (she's not taking a part away from anybody), she starts a fad where multiple drag acts start popping all over Paris. She creates work and mainstreams drag in Paris.

TBoneSF

I wonder if Wilder argued some of the "offenses" on the certificate canceled each other out. One rule used to be two unmarried characters couldn't kiss each other on a bed or couch unless both characters had their feet on the ground. So how could the "lesbian kiss" be an issue when the same two character were engaging in good ole fashioned heterosexual making out on the boat?

Trevor

I think you’re correct about American characters needing more jeopardy to justify the unthinkable (lol) -- appearing as anything but a macho male. I’d suggest looking at Charley’s Aunt, a British farce first performed in 1892. The story is convoluted, but essentially, two male undergrads (Jack & Charley) at Oxford want to spend time with two girls who will soon be sent way to Scotland. One of the boy’s aunt is coming to visit and will chaperone, so it will be okay for the girls to come over. The aunt gets delayed, so they convince their friend Babbs to masquerade as Charley’s aunt, and hilarity ensues. It’s been very popular, and there have been a ton of movie adaptations in the UK, Australia, and the US. Is there a better word for what the Some Like It Hot guys do than drag? I always think of men dressing as women for pleasure/performance (Beverly on All in the Family, Uncle Miltie) as drag while SLIT feels like just men masquerading as women. If a sitcom character dresses as a high school mascot to get the girl, is he a furry or just a boy with a tropey scheme? I dunno.

Marsia Powers

Tony Curtis wrote The Making Of Some Like It Hot book both as written and audio. He gives answers plus more info than I could have thought to ask about.

Zardogs! Zardogs!

More muscle mags! I always thought it was funny that some percentage of their readers were absolutely straight and looking for muscle building tips. I would love it if you could address how vintage images like those were used to tar Paul Reubens. I need people to understand that he was just gay, not a creep.

Jason Plourde

Regarding the addition of the mob threat in Some Like It Hot, I would say that you're closer with your reference to the Hays Code than with cultural differences. Billy Wilder was nearly 30 years old when he moved to the US, so arguably more culturally European than American. He understood the source material and presumably didn't have issue with the premise. My guess is that he "upped the ante" so that it would pass the censors by showing that the characters clearly didn't enjoy crossdressing (i.e. not engage in "sex perversion"). But as mentioned above, it also heightens the tension in the film when the stakes of their discovery are higher.

Jason Plourde

I really love this film and look forward to your video on it. I worked as a stagehand on the musical "Some Like it Hot" in the West End in the 90s (called "Sugar" when it premiered in the US) and loved seeing the story played out on stage night after night. Earlier this year I saw the new production of SLIH on Broadway and really liked this version as well.

Shelley Barba

Thank you for the lovely shout out and credit to the Librarians and Archivists who helped in your research and locating primary sources for you. It is refreshing and appreciated to see good research!

AC

May be a little late to the conversation about scanners, but I love the AdobeScan app. It’s free and it yields great results from a smart phone. I started using it to upload homework assignments before I realized it could be used it to make really clear and convenient scans of vintage books/documents. You can save the files as PDFs and JPEGs too!

Kermy

So so so so cool that you were able to dig up primary sources to debunk a long-repeated rumour! This is the kind of high quality journalism that keeps me on the edge of my seat watching your videos Matt!

Artemus

"Anyone in Here for Love" footage, *Drink!* ❤️

Artemus

Ed Fury, amazing name

Artemus

Research: Flipping through Male Figure for hours❤️

Artemus

Finding Primary documents❤️ Hurrah!