More than either of these elements, however, 20th Century Women is a film powered by the studied, instinctual, and
endlessly endearing performances at its core.
Wilder keeps the film zipping along, and has three absolute comic hurricanes in his leads — Curtis cool as anything as he darts between identities, Lemmon gloriously funny in his interaction with smitten millionaire Joe E. Brown, and Monroe
endlessly endearing and dunder - headed (no matter how many takes it legendarily took Wilder to get the
performance out of her).