[The meaning and significance of their situation - as unrequited lovers who are soon to separate - is not understood on first viewing.Two indebted musicians in the band, saxophonist Joe (Tony Curtis) and bass player Jerry (Jack Lemmon) discuss how they are going to use their first weeks"" pay check, since they have finally secured work after four months of unemployment.A so-called ""director""s cut"" version of the film, threatened with an NC-17 rating when submitted to the MPAA ratings board in 1993 prior to a re-release in 1994, held up the film""s re-release for many months.Although the film is flawed by its excesses, an ambiguous and incohesive script, and a baffling ending, it still remains a brilliant evocation of the madness and horrors of war.