The movie, ‘Some Like it Hot’, describes experiences of two main actors in a straining economy faced by high rates of unemployment. The main characters, Joe and Jerry, are victims of economic recession living in debts.
In order to find jobs, the characters pretend to be females and are recruited in a female singing group. A gang attack on their group however renders them jobless before finding another job with a sinning group (Thoeren and Logan, 1959).
Another gang attack leads to a deadly massacre though Jerry and Joe survives. Afraid of becoming victims of subsequent gang’s attacks, the duo further changes their identities while still assuming the female gender. Known as Josephine and Daphne, they are absorbed into another singing team under Sue’s identity.
This team is also purely composed of females except Joe and Jerry who are presumed to be Josephine and Daphne. In their trip to Florida with the group, the two characters fall in love with Kane, also a member of the group. Their feelings are however restrained due to their assumed gender.
At the same time, a millionaire identified as Osgood falls in love with Daphne. Joe, now guised as a real male millionaire approaches Kane while Jerry accepts Osgood’s proposal for marriage in the hope of having a share of his wealth.
Another attack is witnessed and the four are forced flee to Osgood’s residence. Joe reveals his identity to Kane and admits to her that he is not good enough to be with her. Jerry also reveals his real gender to Osgood (Thoeren and Logan, 1959).
Summary
One of the major themes in the movie is gender factor in communication. Emphasis on context of a communication for example illustrates difference in communication between men and women. Men for instance put more interest and attachment on facts in a communication while women’s major interest is development of a more passionate and long term relationship.
Another concept that distinguishes communication in gender is the form of language used in communication. Provisions for equality in treatment characterize men’s language while women are predominantly caring in their communication (Barrett and Davidson, 2006). These concepts are well defined in the film through its major characters, Joe, Jerry, Kane and Osgood.
Females’ caring and intention for developing relations are for instance exhibited by Kean’s response to Joe’s revelation of his identity and gender. She remains passionate to him. Osgood on the other hand tries to impose marriage on Daphne and dismisses the whole encounter when Daphne’s identity is revealed (Paludi, 2008; Thoeren and Logan, 1959).
A number of theories also explain differences in behavior and communication between males and females as illustrated in the play. Biological theories for example explain that gender based cells and organs influences different behavior and responses of men and women.
Similarly, psychodynamic theories explain that men and women develop different interactive behavior based on the social environment that brings them up. As a result, men in a given society will have a defined communication approach that is from women in the same society because of factors such as gender roles (Wood, 2010).
These theories are exhibited in the play through the main character’s developed idea that their chances of survival in the society are higher if they disguise themselves as women (Thoeren and Logan, 1959).
References
Barrett, M., and Davidson, M. (2006). Gender and communication at work. London, UK: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Paludi, M. (2008). The Psychology of Women at Work: Career liberation, history, and the new millennium. West Port, CT: ABC-CLIO
Thoeren, R. and Logan, M. (1959). Some like it hot. film
Wood, J. (2010). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning