“Some Like It Hot”

Last night we watched “Some Like It Hot,” with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon.  I hadn’t seen it since it came out in 1959 and, though I thought I remembered it very well… I didn’t really.  In fact, about the only thing I remembered was that Curtis and Lemmon were in drag and were running from something or someone.  And, I remembered that it was funny.

I also thought that it had been filmed in color — vibrant color —  which it was not, despite the DVD cover.  Director Billy Wilder had decided from the get-go to film it in back and white to play down the garishness of Curtis’ annd Lemmon’s make-up.  And, I’m sure I never knew that Tony Curtis’ “Josephine” voice was dubbed by another actor, as Curtis couldn’t speak high enough.

“The Magnificent Seven”

Despite all those unknown or misremembered details, the film held up amazingly well.  It was especially fun to see co-stars George Raft, Pat O’Brien, and Joe E. Brown in stereotypical roles — like seeing old friends again.  We thoroughly enjoyed the silliness of it all.  Two hours and two minutes of unadulterated fun!

Chances are we’ll have more opportunities to revisit other old “friends” in the weeks to come, thanks to a clean-out project of neighbors Carol and Tucker.  A few days back they left a huge box of DVDs that they are getting rid of (although “maybe not quite yet,” Tucker told me, when I was ooohing and aaahing our thanks and promising to pass them on.)

“Midsomer Murders”

Tonight we are looking forward to “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and in the wings are boxed sets of “The Pallisers” “Black Adder,” “The George Eliot Collection,” “Jeeves & Wooster,” “Sherlock Holmes” and on and on!

It seems more than logical that we would expand our screen time during this pandemic, but whoda thunk we would have such a surfeit of viewing possibilities!  First, and just “in the nick,” Cyndy fixed us up with Roku and now, this goody box  from Tucker and Carol.  For us, sheltering during this pandemic is turning out to be a time of visual as well as mental  enrichment!  Who knew?