Review It Yourself

Some Like It Hot is the comedy classic that somehow gets better every time you watch it.
What makes Some Like It Hot (1959) one of the greatest comedies ever made? In this episode of Review It Yourself, we dive into Billy Wilder’s iconic black-and-white masterpiece with historian and author Lucy Jane Santos, whose new book Nobody’s Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot takes a fascinating look behind the scenes of one of Hollywood’s most enduring films.

If you love classic films, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Billy Wilder, Hollywood history and great comedy, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Lucy joins us to explore why Some Like It Hot works so brilliantly — from its razor-sharp screenplay and physical comedy to its unforgettable performances, carefully constructed visual gags and surprisingly high stakes.

In this episode
We discuss:

Why Some Like It Hot remains one of the greatest comedy films ever made
The genius of Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond's screenplay
Why Wilder fought to keep the film in black and white
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon's extraordinary comic chemistry
How Jack Lemmon transformed into the unforgettable Daphne
The physical comedy, sight gags and perfectly timed performances
Why the film's gangster storyline is much darker than its reputation suggests
The influence of 1930s gangster movies on Some Like It Hot
The real history behind the film's St. Valentine's Day Massacre opening
The enduring mystery of the film's famous final line: "Nobody's perfect."
Whether Some Like It Hot can be interpreted as a gay film
Why Lucy disagrees with the idea that the film is fundamentally a feminist film
The myths surrounding Marilyn Monroe's behaviour during production
Why Marilyn's difficulties on set need to be understood in their wider context
Marilyn Monroe's health problems and the pressures she was facing during filming
Tony Curtis's concerns about playing a man in women's clothing
How Jack Lemmon approached the role very differently

About Lucy Jane Santos
Lucy Jane Santos is a historian, author, presenter and consultant specialising in the history of science, culture, leisure and everyday life.
Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot
The book is published by White Owl, an imprint of Pen & Sword Books, and is available from major booksellers. Current listings give the ISBN as 9781036138806.
📚 Buy/read more about Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot. 🌐 Lucy Jane Santos: lucyjanesantos.com

About Review It Yourself
Review It Yourself is the podcast for people who love films — whether they're timeless classics, forgotten gems, modern releases or films you've somehow never got around to watching.
If you enjoy honest film reviews, movie discussions, film history, classic cinema and plenty of opinions, make sure you follow Review It Yourself so you don't miss the next episode.
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Support Review It Yourself
Enjoy the podcast? The best ways to support Review It Yourself are simple:
⭐ Follow the podcast on your favourite podcast app.
❤️ Leave a rating and review — especially on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings help other film fans discover the show.
📲 Share this episode with someone who loves classic cinema, Marilyn Monroe, Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon or Tony Curtis.
💬 Get in touch and tell us what you thought about the film, the episode or the podcast.
🎧 And, most importantly, keep listening and keep talking about films.

If you haven't seen Some Like It Hot yet, take Lucy's advice — go and watch it. And if you've already seen it, you may never look at Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis or that famous final line in quite the same way again.
Nobody's perfect.
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Forrest Gump won six Oscars—but does it really deserve to be considered a classic?

What do you really think of Forrest Gump? Is Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning performance enough to make it a classic, or has the reputation of Robert Zemeckis' 1994 film outgrown the movie itself?

In this episode of Review It Yourself, Sean and Sarah are joined by returning guest Fraser McCallum, author of Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb, for a lively, funny and occasionally brutal re-examination of one of the most famous films of the 1990s.

Forrest Gump won six Academy Awards and became deeply embedded in popular culture, producing instantly recognisable moments, characters and phrases. But does it still work when viewed decades later?

This time, the Review It Yourself team isn't simply asking whether Forrest Gump is entertaining. They're asking what the film is actually trying to say.

Forrest Gump Revisited
Sean, Sarah and Fraser discuss the film's enduring reputation, its place in 1990s American cinema and whether its cultural impact has helped turn it into something of a cinematic institution.

The conversation explores:

Tom Hanks' performance as Forrest Gump
Whether Forrest Gump deserves its reputation as a classic
The film's six Academy Award wins
Forrest's relationship with Jenny
Robin Wright's performance and Jenny's treatment by the story
Forrest's passive approach to life and decision-making
The film's complicated relationship with American history
Vietnam, the military and Forrest's experiences in the army
Elvis Presley and the film's use of historical footage
The way Forrest is inserted into famous moments in history
American identity and patriotism
The film's soundtrack and use of popular culture
The contrast between Forrest and Jenny's lives
Whether the film encourages audiences to think—or deliberately avoids asking too many difficult questions
The difference between watching Forrest Gump as a child and watching it as an adult
Why the mid-1990s produced so many memorable American films
Whether Forrest Gump stands alongside films such as Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption and Heat

One of the biggest discussions centres on Jenny. Rather than accepting the film's portrayal at face value, the conversation asks whether Jenny is actually one of the more interesting characters—and whether a film following Jenny's life rather than Forrest's might have been a much more compelling story.

The episode also considers the unusual way Forrest Gump mixes comedy, romance, tragedy, American history and nostalgia, often without stopping to examine the contradictions created by doing so.

Fraser McCallum – Author of Cold War Britain
Fraser McCallum returns to Review It Yourself as the author of Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb.

Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb is available through bookshops and the Imperial War Museum's online shop.
Buy or find out more about Cold War Britain at the Imperial War Museum Shop
You can also follow Fraser McCallum on social media:
Instagram: @fraser_mcca11um on Instagram
Threads: @fraser_mcca11um on Threads

Listen, Follow & Contact Review It Yourself
Enjoying the discussion? Follow Review It Yourself so you don't miss future episodes covering films, television, books and popular culture.
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Support the Podcast
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Subscribe or follow the show on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes appear in your feed.
Leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews help other film fans discover the podcast and make a genuine difference to an independent show.
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Dive beneath the waves into secrets, evolution, rebellion and survival.

In this episode of Review It Yourself, Sean is joined by science fiction author David Deane Haskell to discuss The Solarian Deep, the first novel in his planned Techno-Quatic series.

What begins as a journey into an unfamiliar underwater world soon becomes a fast-moving exploration of mystery, transformation, power, evolution and the societies we build around ourselves. Sean shares his honest reading experience, explaining how, once the world and characters clicked into place, he found himself racing through the book and finishing its final sections in a single extended reading session.

The Solarian Deep is a science fiction novel set in the distant future, where evolutionary forces, underwater societies and hidden secrets collide. The episode explores the book's mysterious "Great Dying", the controlled society of the Shallows, social hierarchy, political power, rebellion and the tension between conformity and transformation.
David also discusses his approach to science fiction world-building and why he prefers stories that allow readers to discover a world rather than having every mystery immediately explained. The conversation moves through the challenges of creating believable characters, writing morally complex people, and balancing technology and world-building with an engaging story.

Sean and David also discuss whether The Solarian Deep could work as a film or television adaptation, with comparisons to science fiction and speculative fiction including Star Wars, Alien, The Andromeda Strain, The Martian, Project Hail Mary, WALL-E, Children of Men, 1984 and more.

The conversation also explores David's writing journey, including his earlier fiction, a period of writer's block, and how personal growth and greater empathy have influenced the characters and relationships in his more recent work.

David reveals that the Techno-Quatic story is planned as a trilogy and discusses other books from his catalogue, including Dark Alignment, Too Much Information and his nonfiction book Wounded Angels. He also talks about his forthcoming novel, The Vibrants, which he describes as the best work he has written so far.

If you enjoy science fiction books, underwater worlds, dystopian fiction, cyberpunk, speculative fiction, complex world-building, character-driven stories or discussions about books becoming films, this is an episode for you.

Find David Deane Haskell
Website and contact:
https://daviddeanehaskell.com

Visit David's website to find The Solarian Deep, his other books, contact information and links to his social media.
Important: Make sure to search for David Deane Haskell, including the middle name Deane, to find the correct author.

Amazon link: https://mybook.to/solariandeep.

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Following or subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts
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Joining the conversation and sharing your own opinions on the books and films discussed
Every follow, rating, review and share helps more people discover the podcast.

Have you read The Solarian Deep? What do you think? Would David Dean Haskell's underwater science fiction world make a great film or television series? Get in touch and let Review It Yourself know.
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Discover the forgotten White Star liner that connects directly to Titanic.

What if there was a White Star Line ship that helped shape the story of Titanic, yet remains largely overlooked?

In this episode of Review It Yourself, historian and author Mark Chirnside returns to discuss his book Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century and the fascinating history of one of the most important—and ultimately short-lived—liners of the pre-Titanic era.

If you love Titanic history, White Star Line, ocean liners, maritime history, shipbuilding, passenger travel, or historical books, this episode offers plenty to discover.

About Oceanic
Mark Chirnside explains why Oceanic was so significant to the White Star Line and why the ship deserves to be considered in its own right rather than simply as another link in the Titanic story.

Oceanic was launched in January 1899, with her main voyage taking place later that year. Rather than concentrating solely on winning speed records, White Star Line increasingly focused on size, comfort, reliability and passenger experience.

The episode explores how this approach helped establish a pattern that would later be seen in the Olympic-class liners, including Olympic, Titanic and Britannic.

What We Discuss
Among the subjects covered in this episode:

The history and significance of the White Star Line’s Oceanic
Why Oceanic was such an important ship for the company
The competition between White Star Line, Cunard and German shipping lines
Why speed records were becoming less commercially important
Oceanic’s emphasis on comfort, reliability and passenger accommodation
The development of first-, second- and third-class accommodation
The engineering and design of Oceanic
Longitudinal bulkheads and why they were not carried forward to Olympic, Titanic and Britannic
Oceanic’s launch and the unusual sight of her propellers turning during launch
The extensive collection of photographs and illustrations in Mark’s book
Rare and previously unused historical images
Captain Cameron and why Captain Edward Smith did not command Oceanic

Why This Book Is Worth Reading
One of the strengths highlighted during the discussion is that Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century is more than a collection of technical information or photographs.

Mark combines shipbuilding, engineering, business, passenger experience, social history and maritime events to tell the story of Oceanic across her career.

The book also makes extensive use of photographs, with detailed captions that encourage the reader to look closely at the people, machinery, accommodation and construction details visible in each image.

For Titanic enthusiasts, the book provides valuable broader historical context—showing the development of White Star Line and the technological and commercial decisions that eventually led towards the Olympic-class ships.

About Mark Chirnside
Mark Chirnside is a historian and author specialising in ocean liners and maritime history. His work covers subjects including White Star Line, Olympic, Titanic and other major passenger ships.
Mark's website includes his books, research, blog articles, media appearances and presentations, as well as additional information about Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century.
Website: https://markchirnside.co.uk/
The website is also a useful place to discover Mark's latest research and articles, with the opportunity to sign up for updates about new material.

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Review It Yourself celebrates five years of the podcast with a proper reunion as Sean and Sarah finally find themselves recording in the same room — and, naturally, the conversation quickly goes everywhere.

This time, they’re reviewing Gladiator II (2024), Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning Gladiator. Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Joseph Quinn, the film takes us back to Ancient Rome, the Colosseum and the brutal world of gladiatorial combat.
But is Gladiator II simply a sequel trading on the legacy of the original, or does it actually have something of its own to say?

Sean and Sarah get properly stuck into what works — and what doesn’t — including the film’s ensemble cast, pacing, action sequences, political intrigue, performances, production design, music and connection to the original Gladiator.

They discuss Paul Mescal’s Lucius, Pedro Pascal’s battle-weary Roman general Acacius, Connie Nielsen’s return as Lucilla and Denzel Washington’s scene-stealing performance as Macrinus. There’s also plenty of appreciation for the supporting cast, with the pair arguing that the film works particularly well when viewed as an ensemble rather than simply as a Paul Mescal vehicle.

The conversation also explores the film’s depiction of power in Ancient Rome, the role of the Praetorian Guard, the use of the Colosseum as political theatre, and how the increasingly spectacular gladiatorial games become another weapon in the struggle for control.
And then there’s the action.

From gladiatorial battles and spectacular set pieces to the film’s surprisingly effective pacing, Sean and Sarah look at why a 142-minute historical epic manages to feel considerably shorter than some much less ambitious films.

They also get into the things that took them out of the experience — including the marketing and trailer, and a few moments that invite the inevitable question: what exactly were they thinking?

There’s plenty of discussion about the relationship between Gladiator II and the original 2000 film, including the returning characters, the way the sequel connects to its predecessor and whether the call-backs feel natural or forced.

And, because this is Review It Yourself, the discussion inevitably goes off on several tangents along the way.

Expect Gladiator II spoilers, film trivia, disagreements, laughs, random faff and a few detours that have absolutely nothing to do with Ancient Rome.

Most importantly, this episode marks five years of Review It Yourself — five years of film reviews, arguments, tangents, questionable opinions and Sean and Sarah talking about the films they love, hate and everything in between.

If you enjoy honest, conversational film reviews and movie podcasts, follow Review It Yourself wherever you listen to podcasts, and help us keep the faff going.

You can support the podcast by following the show, listening to episodes, sharing episodes with other film fans, and rating or reviewing us on your podcast platform. You can also find us on Cinova and rate your favourite films there.

Follow Review It Yourself
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Email: reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com

What did you think of Gladiator II? Did it live up to the legacy of the original, or did you go into the arena expecting something different?
Listen to the episode, join the conversation and let us know what you think.

And Thank You for five years of Review It Yourself. Here's to many more years of films, faff and completely unnecessary tangents.
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