Sneak preview
Exclusive interviews with Billy Wilder, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and others
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Billy Wilder: The locations worked for us, the period worked for us, the situation of the gangsters, that was also correct. You know, it was not taking itself too seriously, kind of leaving the end at a good question mark but with a big laugh, the question mark where nobody is perfect, right? Everything that we attempted in that picture came out in spades.
On being a woman
Tony Curtis: I'd take Marilyn and go to the ladies room with her on the lot to see if I was recognized. Then I'd take Jack Lemmon and we'd go to the Formosa Restaurant... girls for lunch sit there properly, guys at the bar... we didn't look too provocative. It was a lot of fun.
Dan Auiler: Tell me about the drag queen that Mr. Wilder brought out.
Tony Curtis: This guy was gonna show us how we should walk as women and that. He showed us this thing, for example, if you kept your hands down this way you've made a much slimmer arm. This guy told us to keep the cheeks of your ass tight. You tighten up-which you did if you were in the Navy anyway-and make one step good before the other. So when we started to put it together, it all became a very charming manner. I loved it... Jack was outrageous as a girl, he couldn't wait to go tromping out. I was more hesitant, I was more like Grace Kelly than like my mother. I was on track, I was more sophisticated, I thought.
***
Billy Wilder: Curtis was bashful in the beginning, but then of course he went overboard. Jack Lemmon took him under his arm and screamed at him and told him, 'Now come on, for Christ's sake, be a woman, you are a woman!' Now he started to understand it, he was just the perfect person. He was crazy about that script and he took it very seriously. It was a wonderful, wonderful performance. And Jack Lemmon was a natural, it was very simple.
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Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Billy Wilder: The locations worked for us, the period worked for us, the situation of the gangsters, that was also correct. You know, it was not taking itself too seriously, kind of leaving the end at a good question mark but with a big laugh, the question mark where nobody is perfect, right? Everything that we attempted in that picture came out in spades.
On being a woman
Tony Curtis: I'd take Marilyn and go to the ladies room with her on the lot to see if I was recognized. Then I'd take Jack Lemmon and we'd go to the Formosa Restaurant... girls for lunch sit there properly, guys at the bar... we didn't look too provocative. It was a lot of fun.
Dan Auiler: Tell me about the drag queen that Mr. Wilder brought out.
Tony Curtis: This guy was gonna show us how we should walk as women and that. He showed us this thing, for example, if you kept your hands down this way you've made a much slimmer arm. This guy told us to keep the cheeks of your ass tight. You tighten up-which you did if you were in the Navy anyway-and make one step good before the other. So when we started to put it together, it all became a very charming manner. I loved it... Jack was outrageous as a girl, he couldn't wait to go tromping out. I was more hesitant, I was more like Grace Kelly than like my mother. I was on track, I was more sophisticated, I thought.
***
Billy Wilder: Curtis was bashful in the beginning, but then of course he went overboard. Jack Lemmon took him under his arm and screamed at him and told him, 'Now come on, for Christ's sake, be a woman, you are a woman!' Now he started to understand it, he was just the perfect person. He was crazy about that script and he took it very seriously. It was a wonderful, wonderful performance. And Jack Lemmon was a natural, it was very simple.
***
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All's well that ends well.... Marilyn and Tony´s final kiss (United Artists/MGM)
