Set in 1929, the plot turns around two musicians who, after being accidental witnesses of the Saint Valentine´s Day massacre, dress up as women in order to escape the mafia. Billy Wilder created an explosive combination of gangsters and transvestites with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and George Raft. They are absolutely brilliant. The actor George Raft parodies his gangster roles that made him famous in many movies in the 30s, such as Scarface by Howard Hawks with Paul Muni. This cinema masterpiece, written by Wilder and his usual co-writer I. A. L. Diamond (The Apartment, One two three) is set in the happy 20´s and there are plenty of sociopolitical and cultural references: prohibition, silent movie icons such as Rudolph Valentino and Ramon Novarro, or the Singer Rudy Vallee. Billy Wilder uses humour and identity misunderstandings to create a parody of gangsters films, and this is certainly one of the great comedies in cinema’s history.

1959

- Prémios Óscar: 

Melhor Figurino

Nomeado Melhor Realizador, Melhor Actor (Jack Lemmon), Melhor Argumento, Melhor Fotografia, Melhor Direcção Artística 

1960

-Globos de Ouro:

Melhor Comédia, Melhor Actriz em Comédia ou Musical (Marilyn Monroe) e Melhor Actor em Comédia ou Musical (Jack Lemmon)

- Prémios BAFTA:

Melhor Actor Estrangeiro (Jack Lemmon)