Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Some Like It Hot 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 19, 2025

Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot" (1959) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival interviews with Billy Wilder, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon; archival audio commentary by film scholar Howard Suber; and a lot more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by author Sam Wasson, as well as technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The new girls

The recipe behind this delicious classic comedy is pretty simple -- it is one dose of top-quality acting presented with an equal dose of top-quality directing. So, it should be easy to replicate, right? Wrong. In a long archival interview conducted for The Dick Cavett Show that is included on this release, Billy Wilder explains why entire ranges of similar films became impossible to make many decades ago. The explanation is in the second part of the interview, where Wilder brings up the great actor Claude Rains, whom he admired immensely, and then reveals how the unique talent that made these films disappeared. Wilder even addresses the particular kind of supporting actors that were lost and clarifies how after them the big Dream Factory that Hollywood once was started to crumble. The interview is beyond fascinating because it effectively sums up what is now painfully obvious -- Some Like It Hot and all the other true classics of the era were made by genuine stars whose talent and personalities made them special. It really is this simple, and, of course, having been blessed to work with the best of them, Wilder knew it all along.

The film begins in Chicago, only a few hours before the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, where band musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) are desperate to secure a new gig. A local agency offers them one in Urbana, but while trying to borrow a car to get there, they accidentally witness how mafia boss Spats Colombo (George Raft) and his boys execute a snitch and his accomplices. Realizing that now they absolutely must get out of Chicago to stay alive, Joe and Jerry join an all-girl troupe heading to Florida. At Union Station, they emerge as Josephine and Daphne and after a warm welcome board the train.

Soon after, the new “girls” engage Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), a sexy ukulele player, and by the time the train reaches Florida, they earn her trust and friendship. Under the scorching sun, Joe then proceeds to earn her heart while pretending to be a filthy rich bachelor, and Jerry captivates the mind of a real millionaire with a taste for the exotic. But the impostors’ romantic escapades are put on hold when Spats Colombo and his goons reappear for a high-profile mafia gathering and someone realizes that the two “girls” look awfully familiar.

Initially, Wilder apparently wanted to get Frank Sinatra to play Daphne, but when he did not turn up to discuss the project he moved on, and it was then that Lemmon was hired. Monroe was not Wilder’s first choice for the part of Sugar Kane either, though it was her “difficult” personality rather than her acting skills that he had considered problematic. (And for a good reason because later, after production of the film had started, Monroe’s erratic behavior caused a lot of unnecessary drama, just as Wilder had expected). Ironically, now it is absolutely impossible to imagine this film being as brilliant as it is without Lemmon and Monroe because the authentic energy that the former brings and the incomparable sex appeal that the latter adds are essential qualities of its style. It is basically what makes the film so great -- the personalities of its three leads are not suppressed by Wilder, but brilliantly managed and, in the process, encouraged to flourish through the characters they play. This is something that cannot be replicated with other actors, regardless of how brilliant they might be. If you do not have the “right” personalities, you will end up with a very different film.

Another very important quality of the film’s unique style that is frequently neglected is its perfect rhythm. A lot happens in it, and often simultaneously at multiple locations, but it never looks or feels like things are left on autopilot to evolve. As the film progresses, the opposite becomes crystal clear, because even during long mass sequences, everything from the seemingly casual one-liners to the unexpected gesturing and grimacing is done with striking precision so that it serves its comedic energy right.

Some Like It Hot 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of Some Like It Hot is a 4K Blu-ray/Bluray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that all screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

This combo pack introduces a native 4K presentation of the recent 4K restoration of Some Like It Hot, which entered the Criterion Collection with this Blu-ray release. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with Dolby Vision.

I have a copy of Kino Lorber's 4K Blu-ray release in my library, but did not use it to do any comparisons. It is because I already know how great Some Like It Hot looks in native 4K and 1080p after it was redone in 4K. I also know how it looks in native 4K with Dolby Vision enabled.

There is nothing new to add. In native 4K, Some Like It Hot boasts a slightly lusher and definitely more attractive appearance. While I suspect that different displays may produce slightly different visuals, it should be pretty easy to see on all 4K displays that the grayscale is better balanced and more vibrant. For my money, this is where the crucial improvements that give the film a more attractive appearance emerge. I do not think that viewers will see consistent meaningful improvements in terms of delineation, clarity, and depth. In some areas, small upticks in quality may become apparent, but I must repeat yet again that the 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration already looks mighty impressive. In native 4K, trained eyes should notice that select transitions between footage with unique native fluctuations are marginally better, but this is to be expected given that the higher resolution 'tightens' all visuals. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review. All in all, whether one chooses the native 4K or 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration, one is guaranteed to be impressed by the quality of the restoration work and its transition to 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray.

Some Like It Hot 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

On the 4K Blu-ray, there are two standard audio options: English LPCM 1.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Criterion's Blu-ray release had only the lossless Mono track, so now viewers can experiment with the more elaborate 5.1 track. (A 5.1 track was also included on Kino Lorber's 4K Blu-ray release). I think that the Mono track is perfectly fine. I tested several areas, like the shootout in the beginning of the film, and cannot say that there are any meaningful enhancements/improvements. Then again, some viewers may disagree because elsewhere, where the music is prominent, the 5.1 track creates the impression that the sound is noticeably expanded. While revisiting the film in 4K with the Mono track, I did not notice any encoding anomalies to report.

Some Like It Hot 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary features film scholar Howard Suber. It was recorded in 1989 and initially appeared on Criterion's LD release of Some Like It Hot.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary features film scholar Howard Suber. It was recorded in 1989 and initially appeared on Criterion's LD release of Some Like It Hot.

• Billy Wilder and Dick Cavett - in this outstanding archival interview, director Billy Wilder discusses his time in Germany in the beginning of the century and specifically the decadent Berlin that was later on recreated in various classic films, his arrival in America and the evolution of his career, the many stars that he worked with as well as fellow directors that he admired, the production history of Some Like It Hot and some of the challenges that he faced while working with Marilyn Monroe, etc. The legendary director also shares some hilarious stories, including a particularly good one involving Humphrey Bogart and the Shah of Iran. The interview was conducted on January 14 and 15, 1982, for The Dick Cavett Show. In English, not subtitled. (56 min).

• Marilyn Monroe - in this rare audio interview, Marilyn Monroe talks about her desire to be remembered as a great actress, and discusses her worldwide image as a sex symbol, the unforgiving nature of the film business, and her love for Brooklyn. The interview was conducted by Dave Garroway on June 12, 1955. Audio only. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Jack Lemmon - presented here is an archival episode of the French television program Cinema cinemas in which Jack Lemmon recalls how he became involved with Some Like It Hot and discusses his work with Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe, and director Billy Wilder. The footage was shot on May 15, 1988. In English, with imposed yellow French subtitles. (10 min).

• Tony Curtis and Leonard Maltin - presented here is a filmed conversation between Tony Curtis and critic Leonard Maltin which features plenty of great information about the production of Some Like It Hot as well as its success. The conversation was filmed for MGM/UA in 2001. In English, with imposed yellow French subtitles. (32 min).

• Costumes by Orry-Kelly - in this new program, costume designer and historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis and costume historian and archivist Larry McQueen discuss the work of Orry-Kelly and his contribution to Some Like It Hot. The program was created exclusively for Criterion in 2018. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).

• Behind the Scenes - presented here are three programs that examine the production history and lasting appeal of Some Like It Hot. Included in them are various clips from interviews with director Billy Wilder, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Barbara Diamond, Walter Mirisch, and Curtis Hanson, amongst others. The programs were produced for MGM/UA between 2001 and 2006. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. The Making of Some Like It Hot. (26 min).
  2. The Legacy of Some Like it Hot. (21 min).
  3. Memories from the Sweet Sues. (13 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Some Like It Hot. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by author Sam Wasson, as well as technical credits.

Some Like It Hot 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The term classic has lost its value because in recent years too many people have used it to describe a wide range of good, but not special, films that should have been treated better. I know it is so because I have done it too. Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot is one of those truly special films that the term was actually meant for -- it's got real stars at the top of their game and a master director who was able to make them look even better together. The magic that Hollywood forgot how to produce really is on full display in this film.

This upcoming combo pack release offers a terrific native 4K presentation of the excellent 4K restoration of Some Like It Hot that Criterion introduced with this Blu-ray release in 2018. If you can play 4K Blu-ray discs, consider an upgrade. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.