If you are looking for pure entertainment, you can easily find it by choosing any of the several comedies produced by major studios in the 1960s – the Swinging Sixties was not only influential when it came to music and fashion, with the humour that was brought along with it being quite remarkable, even if for slightly dubious reasons. Whatever motivated Marc Camoletti to concoct the story that would eventually become the play known as Boeing Boeing, must have come from his observations about the wild state of affairs that were taking place throughout Europe. His play was eventually adapted to the screen in the form of a film of the same name, which was designed as a vehicle for two of the most beloved comedic voices of that particular era. Translated and adapted by prolific screenwriter Edward Anhalt, and directed by journeyman filmmaker John Rich (who had some experience making reliable, crowd-pleasing films), Boeing Boeing is an unexpected delight. It’s not the most concise or well-crafted of this generation of outrageous comedies, but it is the one that has seemingly been appreciated the most among fans of the genre, especially since its approach is quite original in many ways, while still retaining the same familiar formula that tends to drive these comedies to a point of incredible complexity, even when it is not entirely original. The premise is incredibly simple – an American expatriate working in Paris decides that having a single partner is passé, and instead chooses to target a trio of airline hostesses to be his paramours, each one existing without the other’s knowledge, and never coming to learn of this scenario since our protagonist has meticulously come up with a schedule to ensure that he gets to spend time with all of them individually – until one fateful day when everything comes tumbling down, leading to the chaotic scenarios that form the foundation of this film, which is as subversively funny as it is oddly heartfelt, granted the viewer can get past some of the more questionable aspects of the story, which don’t necessarily add much to the proceedings, but still somehow define it as a film plucked from a very specific moment in Hollywood history.

There is value in all forms of comedy (granted it maintains a solid foundation within the realm of morality and never goes too far in the sense that it causes harm), and sex comedy is certainly not an exception. We have seemingly lost the art of making a very effective raunchy comedy, which reigned supreme at a very specific time in the industry’s past, being the source of a lot of entertainment by proponents of this particular brand of off-colour humour. There is something so delightfully pedestrian about these lust-fueled comedies that makes them such fascinating remnants of the past, to the point where nearly every attempt to return to this style has failed, since the lack of self-awareness (and obvious absence of social conventions relating to some of the foundational aspects of these films) was as integral to their identity. However, it is understandable that it is an acquired taste – one doesn’t simply find humour in a film like Boeing Boeing without actually having an interest in this specific kind of comedy, which has received its fair share of criticism over the years. However, it is as easy to see the appeal as it is to understand the controversy – a simple premise (normally around randy middle-aged men who desire the loving touch of a woman) and usually unexpectedly strong performances make up these films, which are often well-crafted, even at their most conventional. The humour is harnessed through blending multiple kinds of comedy – blue comedy intermingles with social satire, and deadpan comedy, with a lot of wit and self-deprecation thrown in for good measure. On a purely academic level, sex comedy is one of the purest forms of humour, because very rarely do we find so much complex narrative alchemy going into the creation of such simple, straightforward narratives – but it certainly does take a lot more effort to make some of these stories seem actively funny, and as controversial as it may be, Boeing Boeing knows how to take advantage of these ideas, crafting them into delicate, detailed depictions of two men driven mad by their carnal cravings, which leads them into some hilarious scenarios.

The reason films like Boeing Boeing have remained somewhat relevant, or at least appeared to retain some degree of cultural importance, is the pairing of the actors at the heart of the story. Without performers who possess the three most important qualities for these kinds of characters (charisma, talent and a good sense of humour), these films would likely fail, especially if the actors weren’t recognizable. It is doubtful that anyone is watching these films just for the storyline – we all gravitate towards it due to either Tony Curtis or Jerry Lewis, if not both. They are the anchors of the film, and the most memorable aspect, which we know even before we start watching the film since there is very little reason to have these two terrific actors paired without making sure they are the main attraction. Outside of a few television appearances on variety shows over the years, this was the second proper collaboration between Curtis and Lewis (their first was the short film How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border, in which Curtis acted and Lewis directed, as well as co-starring), and their first feature-length pairing. Both are tremendously funny actors, but there is something unique about Boeing Boeing – this is a film with a very simple premise which is made more effective by how the two leads are essentially playing roles very different from their usual kinds of characters, which makes for very intriguing viewing. For once, Lewis is the straight man while Curtis is the off-the-wall eccentric, which is not something that would seem successful in theory (after all, this was notable for being one of the first times Lewis acted in his real voice, rather than his iconic childlike cadence), and to cast two enormously popular actors and have them switch archetypes was a risky decision for an era in which everything is seemingly defined by audiences getting what they expected, or having a film risk failure. This risk is made worth it by the fact that both are giving genuinely terrific performances, proving that, even when stepping outside of their comfort zone, they are remarkably adept at their craft, drawing several laughs from their tremendous chemistry, and their ability to play off each other with extraordinary gusto, an absolute highlight of this already fascinating film.

More than anything else, it is vitally important that everyone who decides to venture into Boeing Boeing knows what to expect. This is one of the rare instances where calling it a product of its time isn’t only an observation, but also a warning, a cautious indication for every view to be prepared for some of the more questionable subject matter. The challenge that comes with watching a film like this from the contemporary perspective is that, even if you don’t subscribe to an overly puritanical view, some of the humour can veer towards quite provocative – and we can’t always tell if a particular joke was intended to be darkly satirical, or if it was unknowingly being sexist for the sake of laughter. The objectification of women is never funny, and while most films of this era do tend to skirt around that issue by showing a more complex side to its female characters, Boeing Boeing leans into the institutionalized misogyny in a way that we hope would be intentional, since any film that contains details like placing the measurements of its female cast next to their names in the opening credits, or not bothering to shade in any of their female characters (except Thelma Ritter, covertly the best aspect of the film). However, the converse argument is that this was all deliberate – based on how the film functions, it would be foolish to think anything here was unintentional. This is a smartly-developed film that sets out to satirize society and its predilections that sometimes border on rabid. The way the film does this is through knowing what to say and show on screen – it’s a surprisingly elegant affair, with most of the sexuality emerging through innuendo and implication, rather than being shown on screen, which is in itself a promising sign, since it would be far easier to be more directly bawdy than it would be to find creative ways to explore these themes. It also manages to be more sparing with its misogyny – the women may be objectified for the first two acts, but they ultimately have the last laugh, taking over in the third act and leading to the film’s climax. It isn’t perfect, and even making a film that lampoons sexual desire in this way is questionable – but taken as a product of its time, it’s difficult to dismiss this film and its particular point of view.

A very traditional farce, combined with the libertine charms of the 1960s, Boeing Boeing has many questionable moments, and it has dated poorly in a way that many films would actively try and avoid, especially when dealing with matters as universal as that of love and romance (although one can argue this is one of the rare instances of a film centred on these two themes that feature neither of them), which was one of the foundational themes on which many Hollywood films were constructed since audiences were always intrigued by the promises of such films. It is a mercilessly off-kilter film, and it defines the concept of being politically incorrect, to the point where it becomes the entire identity of the project, the one consistent element that drives it forward. In most instances, all of these would be seen as criticisms that precede referring to a film that warrants such descriptions as a total failure. However, Boeing Boeing manages to get away with all of this solely through the fact that it is all intentional – and while it isn’t the only instance of a film using the subject of sexism and misogyny as a foundation for humour, it never becomes a punchline in the sense that it is mean-spirited or intentionally harmful. If anything, such an approach is admirable, since it uses the veneer of grotesque debauchery and a complete lack of morality to the benefit of the film, concealing a very satirical centre that is gradually unearthed as it progresses. Boeing Boeing is a wonderfully funny film, and while it may certainly not be something that could ever be made today, it does have its moments of genuine brilliance that allow it to have aged a lot better than some may have expected – and the combination of heartful humour, outrageous scenarios and memorable characters make for a film that not only defines a specific moment in the genre’s history, but carefully satirizes it, resulting in a terrific romp that may not stir enough thought to be considered a meaningful subversion of gender theory, but at least has much more depth than we’d expect based on a cursory glance.