Reviewers, “Some Like it Hot.” The Catholic World 189 (1959): 156

            This review from a 1959 journal provides a multifaceted snapshot of the movie world in 1959. The review is a good template for analyzing the focus of some movie reviewers at the time, and what aspect of a film was considered to be of importance.  In reading several reviews from the time it seems as if reviewers of this era looked at the success of the movie in its attempt to create world the audience could relate to.

For the section on Some Like it Hot the reviewers focus seems to be on Billy Wilders production style in this movie rather than the cast and plot of the movie itself.  After a brief summary of the basic occurrence in the film Billy Wilder is then praised for his ability to make a mediocre script into a hilarious comedy.  However this praise is not untainted for soon after Wilder is criticized for what the reviewer thought to be over the top suggestivity particularly in scenes where Marilyn Monroe wore very slinky clothing.  This opinion is clearly colored not only by its author’s personal preference but also by the journal in which this review is contained (The Catholic Word).  It is interesting to see the angle and criticism doled out by a magazine with a catholic spin.

            This source is opinion based but despite this is still credible in its role as an indication of the movies reception during its time.   Essentially the value of this source lies in its opinionated foundation that expresses one of the many attitude that reviews had regarding this Wilder flick.