Marilyn Monroe classic gets woke new rating | Films | Entertainment
A classic Hollywood film starring Marilyn Monroe has become the latest to be slapped with a stricter classification rating. Some Like It Hot, a crime caper from 1959, starring Marilyn alongside Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon, has been upgraded from a U, meaning “universal”, to a PG, advising parental guidance. The redesignation by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) follows consideration of the movie’s car chases and instances of flirting and innuendo.
The motion picture, which was nominated for six Oscars after its release, will be classified as PG in future home entertainment releases, after last being classified as a U in 2007. The board has also assigned it extra content warnings, including under the “threat and horror” category, for a “car chase sequence resulting in crashes”.
Some Like It Hot also shows characters being “threatened with guns”, it warned, despite admitting that such sequences are “often presented with comic elements”.
Under the “sex” category, the board similarly cautioned viewers of sexual innuendo, as well as kissing and flirting scenes.
The PG rating signals that a film is suitable for “general viewing, but some scenes may be suitable for young children”.
“A PG should generally not unsettle a child aged around eight, although parents and caregivers should be aware that some scenes may be unsuitable for more sensitive children”, the classification’s official description states.
The Billy Wilder film, which follows two struggling musicians as they dress as women to flee Chicago mobsters, is one of Marilyn’s most well-known and critically acclaimed roles.
It solidified her reputation as a comedic talent, following previous successes in Gentleman Prefer Blondes and The Seven Year Itch.
The board attributed the decision to update its age advisory for the 1961 classic to its themes of sexism, racism, violence and sexual threat.
One film-lover wrote on X: “My parents took us kids to see West Side Story. We all cried. BECAUSE THE MOVIE IS INCREDIBLE & THE ENDING [IS] SO SAD. Let kids experience this modern Shakespeare classic.”
The BBFC says all its age ratings are based on published classification guidlines, which are the result of large-scale consultation with the UK public and updated every four to five years.
