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Billy Wilder's Use Of Schadenfreude In Some Like It Hot

153 Words1 Pages
Laughing at other people’s misfortunes is much part of being human as having a sense of humor. Schadenfreude is a German word defined as the “enjoyment from others’ trouble.” This feeling commonly occurs when someone a person dislikes is threatened or experiences a struggle. Comedies tend to utilize schadenfreude by accompanying audiences with mirth at the expense of others’ injuries or humiliations. Billy Wilder’s 1959 romantic comedy Some Like It Hot is a paid homage to the love of film; a meticulous and inspiring work of art with key elements of schadenfreude. Two musicians cross-dress as women in order to escape the mafia gangsters whom they witnessed committing a crime inspired by the Valentine’s Day Massacre. The film explores the underlying
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