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The Making of Some Like It Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie

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The one key advantage to Tony Curtis's breezy memoir "The Making of Some Like It Hot" is that you can read in about as much time as it takes to watch the movie. Curtis and his ghostwriter, Mark A. Vieira, aren't particularly introspective and are given to using sub-Hemingway declamatory phrasings such as: "I've got a rich memory bank. It's bursting with treasures. Almost anything can open it up. A sound, a song, a scent, and memories come pouring out." (29) Maybe, but if so, Curtis's memories are only occasionally revealing. The book's focus rests on squarely on Marilyn Monroe: the two of them had a brief relationship, in 1950, before they both became famous, and, on the set of "Some Like It Hot," they briefly resumed it. Yet, Curtis's account only re-affirms what we have known about Monroe for decades - her erratic behavior, her lack of professionalism, and her emotional vulnerability. The book's biggest revelation is Curtis' claim to having fathered the child that Monroe miscarried in December 1958, while her marriage to Arthur Miller was unraveling.

Yet, the focus on Marilyn ultimately takes away from the story of the film. Yes, the famous accounts of the constant delays and near-crack-ups due to Monroe are duly recounted. But Curtis's descriptions of Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond and even his co-stars Jack Lemmon, George Raft, and Joe E. Brown are amazingly one-dimensional. He loves and admires them all and is honored to be working with them - and that's all he really has to say. If you love the movie and don't know a thing about its troubled history, this book is an OK introduction. But, please wait for the paperback version -- this is way too slight to pay the hardcover list price.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of SOME LIKE IT HOT, one of the greatest comic films of all time, how lucky we are to have one of the movie's stars still alive and able to give us the behind-the-scenes stories of its creation. This day-to-day, sometimes minute-to-minute account affords the reader a front-row seat on how movies are made, from a man who spent a lot of years making a lot of movies. Great, great stories about Marilyn Monroe, Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon, and oh, so many more -- told with exquisite detail. The most extraordinary aspect of the writing is that at age 84, Tony Curtis has lost none of his youthful enthusiasm for the film industry. If you love SOME LIKE IT HOT (and who doesn't?), you'll love this book.

This is a fascinating account of the preproduction and day to day filming of one of the funniest movies ever made. Tony Curtis seems to have a very detailed memory of what happened. He tells this story very much from his point of view, so you soon realize that this is his interpretation of the events. His story of his relationship ( both personal and professional ) with Marilyn Monroe is fascinating, and has him playing a very important role in her life that I have not come across in anything else I have read about her. I couldn't put this down once I started reading. It's a gossipy glance at the making of a great movie and an interesting look at all of the varied personalities involved. When I finished the book, I got out the DVD and watched with new insight into what was really going on in many of the scenes. This is a must read for anyone who likes this movie and also likes to know what went on behind the scenes.

"The Making of Some Like It Hot" is an interesting book of Tony Curtis' memoirs of all aspects of this beloved, classic film - remembrances of his co-stars (Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, and the other cast members like George Raft), the movie's director and writer (Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond), the circumstances of the film's production (locations, scheduling of the shoot, etc) and various other things going on in his life around that time (along with some backstory to set it all up). Reading the book is almost like listening to a one-sided conversation/Curtis' stream of consciousness take on his recollections - think of it as though you're sitting in the room with Curtis, just listening to him tell the story without being able to ask any questions - but it's very entertaining. As a huge fan of the film, I found a lot that was interesting here: insights into Billy Wilder's directing style, the challenges faced by cast and crew, particularly in dealing with Monroe's erratic reliability (she is painted here as an unhappy person, simultaneously surrounded by people who may not have had her best interests at heart, in a less-than-happy marriage to playwright Arthur Miller, and very lonely), and affection/respect for Lemmon as a friend and actor. Curtis somewhat teases us by revealing (no big surprise) that he and Marilyn had a relationship in the early 50's (while both ascending to stardom), then had a rendezvous during filming of "Hot", but let's be honest - he kinda skimps on some juicy details that I'm sure most would like to know (it IS Monroe, after all), but I can't tell if it's out of respect/being a gentleman or what. Also interesting was the friction between Curtis and Arthur Miller, and between Billy Wilder and Miller; Miller blaming the production demands of the film for Monroe's miscarriage (not to mention finding out about Curtis and Monroe's dalliances) - Miller really gets a fair amount of knocks here.

There are some really nice production & film stills here, including some stunners that are in color and look magnificent (though I'm not sure "Hot" would've worked in color, if Curtis and Lemmon's 5 o'clock shadows would have had to be concealed under tons of layers of makeup). The anecdotes add life to the story and are very amusing (eg. Marilyn's retort to Orry-Kelly's comment that Tony Curtis had a better posterior than she did; and Curtis' "innovation" involving a funnel and hose to solve a practical problem created by his Josephine costume). Overall, an interesting insider's perspective on one of the greatest movies of all time.

Tony Curtis is, of course, an American icon. Many people also know that he is a world-class artist, with his work selling for as much as $50,000. As it turns out, he is also a very entertaining writer. Mr. Curtis holds nothing back and remembers much as he lets us in on the behind-the-scenes activity surrounding the making of the movie called "The Funniest Movie Of All Time". With other icons like Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Billy Wilder swirling around the production, you can be sure that the story is as interesting as it is entertaining. Reading this book is like spending the day with Tony Curtis- one of the truly gracious and generous mega celebrities ever produced in Hollywood. You will love this book!

A quick and entertaining read about one of America's most beloved comedies of all time. It's very entertaining to hear details from someone on the set and also in the film. So often when reading a book that involves Marilyn Monroe, the details come from questionable sources. Tony Curtis was involved with Marilyn on different levels and gives a totally honest yet, still somewhat compassionate view of her. He talks about how she could be totally selfish and rude but, he also gives insight to what fueled her well known unprofessional behavior. Also in this book are shared experiences with his co-star Jack Lemon, Billy Wilder, the film's director and many of the other cast members. If you love the film "Some Like It Hot" or just enjoy learning the behind the scenes workings on a film, you'll enjoy this book. It gives a warts and all view of what went into making this cinematic gem that shines on the screen.

Half a century after "Some Like It Hot" premiered on the big screen, it's still beloved by fans and is consistently rated one of the funniest, if not the funniest, film comedy ever made. Sadly, most of the key players responsible for it are gone--the director and co-writer Billy Wilder; and stars Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. Fortunately, the other leading player in this classic, Tony Curtis, is still with us, and that's especially fortunate for fans of "Some Like It Hot," because he's provided a first-rate memoir of the making of the film.

Although the result of their collaboration was a masterpiece, the making of "Hot" was anything but easy for the creative team. Wilder and his cowriter, I.A.L. Diamond, were literally making it up as they went along (it was their practice to start shooting without a finished script, something that worked for them artistically but added to the tension). Curtis and Lemmon had to deal with the challenges and indignities of playing a good portion of the film in drag. And then there was Marilyn Monroe, already on a path that would lead to her sad self-destruction just a few years later. Monroe's chronic inability to meet her professional obligations (starting with her failure to show up on time, or even at all) caused significant cost overruns and production delays, but Wilder said the pain was worth it for the magic she brought to the screen.

Curtis provides enough of a backstory about his own life and the Hollywood studio world of the 1950s to provide the reader with context for what is to follow, but the focus here is clearly on the making of this one-of-a-kind film.

Curtis' collaborator, Mark A.Viera, has provided the research to verify dates, names and places that may have become a bit fuzzy fifty years later. But Curtis is a natural storyteller, and his personality, warmth and wit shine through these pages. As I read, I kept hearing Curtis' voice in my head, as if he was spinning these wonderful tales just for me. (Or maybe it was the voice of Curtis as one of his alter-egos in the film, Mr. Shell Oil Jr., who sounded suspiciously like Cary Grant.) Whichever voice it was, it was a wonderful one. I enjoyed this immensely, and if you're a fan of Curtis and this classic film, I am sure you will too.--William C. Hall

When "Some Like It Hot" was released back in 1959, I wonder how many members of the audience even considered that the character played by Joe E. Brown was gay when, learning that the girl he loved and wished to marry was actually a man, he uttered the famous closing line, "Nobody's perfect." The Stonewall riots that sparked the modern Gay Liberation movement were still a decade away, and homosexuals wishing to marry each other kept that desire quietly to themselves. In those more sexually repressed times, the thought of two men marrying each other probably just seemed a bizarre joke with which to bring the film to a memorable climax. The scene plays a bit differently now, but shows that its writers, Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, were far ahead of their time.

Now, Tony Curtis is reminiscing about the film in "The Making of Some Like It Hot," an entertaining behind the scenes account of the crafting of a classic that includes some surprising revelations about his relationship with Marilyn Monroe. Curtis famously compared making on-screen love to the iconic sex goddess to "kissing Hitler," an unkind remark motivated by the misery Monroe caused cast and crew with her constant tardiness, lack of preparation, and insensitivity. For the first time, however, Curtis reveals he was briefly involved with Monroe several years earlier, and they renewed their relationship with a one night dalliance on the set. Monroe was married to playwright Arthur Miller during that period, and when the author of "Death of a Salesman" learns of his wife's sexual encounter with Curtis, he confronts him in his dressing room.

Curtis is sympathetic to Monroe these days, but is generous to everyone involved, praising director Wilder, co-star Jack Lemmon, and the entire cast and crew. The book has a light, humorous air about it, appropriate for a memoir about the making of a farce. If Curtis has any axes to grind, he doesn't do so here. This is a positive, fun account for fans of the film, its stars, and moviemaking in general.

Brian W. Fairbanks

The Making of "Some Like It Hot:" My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie is an exceptional, warm, funny and real memoir by Tony Curtis. As a huge fan of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as Marilyn Monroe in particular, every new book that mentions her hits my radar, usually with a healthy dose of skepticism as to whether the book will bear out to be a real accounting of Marilyn's life or an attempt to sell books just by using her name. There is no doubt in my mind that Tony Curtis' memoir, which is a charming, gentlemanly, and generous sharing of this time in his life, is one of the more outstanding books I have read in which Marilyn is portrayed as a real woman--not a stereotyped, overblown icon.

Curtis takes us through the film, from it's inception by the amazing Billy Wilder, to it's completion and premieres. His recollections of co-star Jack Lemmon, Wilder, Marilyn, and Arthur Miller are rare and, I daresay, honest recollections of how things were. Tony tells of his earlier short romance with Marilyn, several years before, and how this affects there relationship during the filming. I don't want to give away what he states, but will say that it rings true and makes a lot of sense. Also, his impressions of Marilyn are as equal/actor during this time--not a stereotyped, psycho-babble interpretation like so many biographers undertake. He doesn't attempt to make her either heroine or villain--rather, his description of Marilyn and her actions and reactions during filming and afterward seem true, whether she is shown in a good light or a somewhat bitchy light. Genius, of course, has its privileges....

This book also satisfied me regarding something that has long puzzled me regarding the infamous remark reported that Tony Curtis stated that kissing Monroe was like 'kissing Hitler.' This has never made a lot of sense to me in that, over the years, I don't have any impression of Curtis ever being so nasty or cruel. The statement has always sounded odd, considering his reputation as a good, genuine, likable and generous actor and man. Without fanfare or ado, he states the sequence of events that led to, after a long, tiring filming sequence of 40-some takes, a reporter asking "So, what's it like to kiss Marilyn Monroe?"...To which Curtis replied, annoyed at the reporter, "What do you think it's like? Like kissing Hitler?" That simple loss of a question mark after his statement was turned into an ugly remark that has lingered to this day. If nothing else, this book should put that unjust, unkind remark to rest.

This was a smooth, fun, well-written and enjoyable reminisce by one of the true movie stars and legends of the silver screen. Delightful, wonderful, and eye-opening in many respects. Some Like It Hot has endured as one of THE truly phenomenal movies of all time and this book pays tribute to the director, co-author, and enduring stars of the classic. One of the best books on movies, and Marilyn, to come out yet.

Even as an avid reader with wide-ranging interests, there are still several subjects I scrupulously avoid when choosing a book to read. For example, I NEVER read books that in any way involve astrology or the "paranormal." Another subject in which I have zero interest is Hollywood "tell-all" gossip stories. I could care less about the lives of movie stars and "celebrities" (at least those in the business today). However, and perhaps paradoxically, I am quite interested in books about the process of making motion pictures, especially the old classics. Years ago, I was fascinated by Aljean Harmetz's "Round Up the Usual Suspects " (recently reissued as "The Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman and World War II"). Tony Curtiss and Mark A. Vieira's "The Making of Some Like It Hot," an insider's memoir of the groundbreaking, genre-bending 1959 motion picture, is equally fascinating.

The American Film Institute rated Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot" as the number one funniest film of all time. The story involves two male musicians (Tony Curtiss and Jack Lemmon) who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago in 1929. On the run from the gangsters, they disguise themselves as women in an all-girl band that features sultry singer Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). The film has aged relatively well in the 50 years since its creation. It's still funny, but perhaps less side-splittingly so in today's permissive, anything-goes culture, when the idea of a two-hour movie about a couple of men in drag is hardly anything remarkable.

Mr. Curtiss is the last of the principals involved in "Some Like It Hot" who is still alive. His book is an intimate, almost day-by-day diary of life on location and on soundstage sets during production of the movie. Written in a staccato style with choppy, short sentences, it is a quick and fascinating read. Eight pages of color and 67 rare black-and-white photos provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of the actors, the director and crew, the sets and the production process. Source notes and a useful bibliography provide references for those who want to dig deeper.

"The Making of Some Like It Hot" is filled with humorous, interesting and appalling anecdotes. An example of the latter is the time Marilyn Monroe needed 81 takes before she successfully managed to walk through a door into a hotel room set, look at a chest of drawers and say, "Where's that bourbon?" On many other occasions, Ms. Monroe was hours late arriving on the set, and in some cases she never showed up at all, throwing the production schedule and budget into chaos. Although not its main focus, the bizarre and disruptive antics of the insecure, self-centered actress are the most intriguing parts of the book, just as her performances on-screen are the most memorable parts of "Some Like It Hot." As a side note, Tony Curtiss tells interviewer Leonard Maltin many of the same anecdotes in the "Nostalgic Look Back" special feature on the 2001 Special Edition DVD release of the movie.

Bottom line: "The Making of Some Like It Hot" is a very good book. It should be of interest to fans of the movie, to fans of Tony Curtiss, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe or Billy Wilder, and to those interested in how the motion picture industry worked 50 years ago in the waning days of the "studio system." I recommend it highly--but first watch the movie again.