ferbs54
After Billy Wilder came out with his hysterically funny and now-classic "Some Like It Hot" in 1959, many wondered how he could possibly top this truly inspired effort. The film had come at the tail end of a remarkable decade for the director; a decade that saw him come out with such films as "Sunset Blvd.," "Ace in the Hole," "Stalag 17," "Sabrina," "The Seven Year Itch" (one of his weakest films, sez me, but nevertheless highly popular, mainly due to Marilyn Monroe's iconic performance) and "Witness for the Prosecution." But as the new decade began (well, on June 15, 1960, anyway), Wilder stunned everyone by delivering a film that was perhaps the best he had ever done: the 1960 Best Picture Oscar winner "The Apartment." I first saw this film in the mid-'70s, at the now defunct Regency Theater on Broadway and 66th St., and for me, it was love at first watch. Since that evening, I have seen the film so many times that I could not even properly estimate the number, but it has to be at least 25, and most of those watches have been on the big screen. It is a film that never seems to grow old for me, dated as it might be in parts. I love every little bit of this movie, featuring as it does career-best performances by stars Jack Lemmon (OK, Lemmon would be better dramatically a few years later in "Days of Wine and Roses") and Shirley MacLaine, and an uncharacteristically cadlike role for the great Fred MacMurray (a last-minute replacement after Paul Douglas passed away). And, oh, that script...that wonderful script!As most of the world knows by now--or should--the film deals with a poor office shlub named C.C. "Bud" Baxter (Lemmon), who has decided that the only way to climb to the top of the office heap is by lending out the key to his apartment so that his various bosses might have a place in which to carry out their extramarital affairs. (Why those affluent bosses cannot afford to just rent out a hotel room for their shenanigans is not explored, and may be justifiably deemed a drawback to an otherwise perfect script.) Trouble looms when Baxter falls in love with cute elevator operator Fran Kubelik (MacLaine), who is having an affair with his own boss, played by Fred Mac. And things grow even worse when Bud finds Fran near dead in his bedroom, after the dumped and depressed woman attempts suicide on Christmas Eve. Yes, that's right: Even though "The Apartment" is one of the funniest comedies ever made, it surely does have a very dark streak, and one that pretty much stunned me the first time I saw it.It is hard to know where to begin when singing the praises of this film, but first and foremost, again, is that remarkable script by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, which throws jokes out willy-nilly and manages to build on those jokes throughout. Thus, the routine with "-wise," as hinted at in the film's poster, in which all three lead characters tend to add the suffix to their conversations ("marriagewise," "jobwise," etc.). The script generously gives the viewer any number of quotable lines, too. My favorite: when the elderly (probably Jewish) woman who lives in Bud's building complains about the weather, remarking "Must be all that misheGAS at Cape Canaveral!" I've been using that line for years now. Besides the marvelous performances turned in by the three leads (Oscar worthy all, sez me), there are also terrific supporting turns by Ray Walston, Edie Adams, Joan Shawlee and, particularly Jack Kruschen, as Bud's kindly neighbor, Dr. Dreyfuss. The film sports a marvelous piece of recurring theme music that manages to pop into my head at the most unlikely moments, as well as any number of truly affecting scenes filled with great emotional pathos. My favorite: Bud looks into a cracked hand mirror and realizes that Fran has been one of the gals having an affair in his own apartment. The look on Lemmon's face in that cracked piece of glass is just priceless. Also featured in the film: possibly the best and the wildest office Xmas party ever depicted on film. "The Apartment" takes place, incidentally, for a significant part, between the Christmas holiday and New Year's Eve, and is THE most perfect film to watch during that time period. No wonder my beloved Film Forum often shows it during the final week of the year.Writing in his essential film guide "Alternate Oscars," Danny Peary makes the case that "The Apartment" was not worthy of the Best Picture Oscar that it brought in, and that "Psycho" was more interesting and deserving that year. Much as I love that classic Hitchcock film, however, I have no problem whatsoever in how the Academy voted that year. For me, the Wilder film is pure entertainment. I might add that I was very happy when (the now disgraced) Kevin Spacey revealed, years back, that the reason he became an actor in the first place was because he was so very impressed with Lemmon's performance in this film! If you by any remote chance have never had the pleasure of seeing "The Apartment," on the big screen or small, I would surely recommend you putting it near the very top of your list. And don't wait for the last week of the year to do so. This is a film that can be enjoyed on any day of the year...laughswise, feelingswise or anywisewise!
MJB784
When I first saw this movie I thought I liked it, but I watched it again and it was boring. The story was nothing special and I didn't find any humor. It seems very dated. I seem to find a lot of Billy Wilder's movies dated except Some Like It Hot, Sunset Blvd and Double Indemnity. I especially love Double Indemnity, but I found this slow and boring. I don't get the joke and I love comedy. Some Like it Hot has lots of laughs. Nothing very memorable seemed to happen during this one. Why is it so interesting that other people have affairs or dates in C.C. Baxter's apartment? What makes that so entertaining? I also don't understand the tone of this movie. Is it a romantic comedy? A drama? A situational comedy? Some of Billy Wilder's movies I understand why audiences enjoy and others I find boring. I also didn't get what was so funny about One, Two, Three. I liked Fortune Cookie and Front Page.
HotToastyRag
A man low on the corporate totem pole has an apartment. Men higher up on the ladder make an arrangement with him: they'll "borrow" his apartment for their extra-marital affairs, and he'll get in good with the big boys. Yes, the premise is enormously dated. Feminists today will not like this movie.The man with The Apartment has a crush, albeit an awkward, un-suave crush, on the girl who runs the elevator in the company building. Unfortunately for him, the cute elevator girl is involved with one of the "renters" of his apartment. The plot sounds pretty dramatic, and it actually is. This classic romance has gained a reputation over the decades to be a charming romantic comedy, but even though it's a Billy Wilder movie with Jack Lemmon as the star, it's not really a laugh-out-loud comedy. That being said, my favorite part of the movie is when Jack Lemmon strains his pasta through a tennis racket and sings the meatball song. It's not a scene to guffaw over, but it's charming and heartwarming, just like the rest of the film.This is a classic romance with an iconic ending, so if you're not a feminist, you'll definitely want to see this one. And if you're looking for a modern reboot, be sure to watch Loser with Mena Suvari and Greg Kinnear!
