Well … nobody’s perfect!

“Well … nobody’s perfect! “ ( Well … nobody’s perfect! ) Is a famous line uttered by Joe E. Brown in the film Some Like It Hot by Billy Wilder released in 1959.

This final reply is permanently implanted in American popular culture and is ranked 48 th in the ranking of the hundred most famous lines of American cinema ( AFI’s 100 Years … 100 Movie Quotes ) .

Situation

After multiple misunderstandings where the two heroes Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon have a hard time not to be unmasked in their disguises as women, the final scene of the film presents Jack Lemmon in Daphne who leaves on a boat with the rich but old Osgood Fielding III, played by Joe E. Brown. The latter fell in love with Daphne and offered to marry her, the false woman is then very embarrassed and the following dialogue is exchanged:

Daphne: ” We can not get married at all “
Osgood: ” Why not? “
Daphne: ” Well, in the first place, I’m not a natural blonde! “
Osgood: ” Does not matter … “
Daphne: ” I smoke, I smoke all the time. “
Osgood: ” I do not care. “
Daphne: ” I have a terrible past for three years now, I’ve been living with a saxophone player. “
Osgood: ” I forgive you. “
Daphne: ” I can never have children “.
Osgood: ” We can adopt some “
Daphne: (pulling off his wig) ” You do not understand, Osgood, I’m a man! “.
Osgood: ” Well .. nobody’s perfect! ” .
We can not get married at all.
Why ?
Well, for starters I’m not a real blonde.
Not important !
I smoke. I smoke like a sapper!
I do not care.
My past is not good. I live for three years with a saxophone player.
I forgive you.
I will never be able to have children.
We will adopt it.
(withdrawing his wig) You do not understand, Osgood. I am a man !
Well … nobody is perfect!

These words, to say the least equivocal and full of innuendo and irony, put the final point to the film in a memorable way, leaving the spectator between expectation and laughter.

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