The Apartment is an insightful movie made by one of cinema's most talented directors. The plot is fairly simple, but C.C. Baxter's (Jack Lemmon) is anything but. By innocently lending out his apartment to a coworker, Baxter's residence becomes the love nest for his philandering colleagues. Along the way, Baxter develops a friendship with Fran Kubelik (Shirley Maclaine), one of several attractive female elevator operators. Baxter is rewarded for his generosity by getting promoted by Jeff D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray). Little does he realize that Fran is Sheldrake's latest plaything. The Apartment has all that you expect from the best of Wilder: great performances, witty dialogue, and a plot that holds to this day, even if most of the depiction of the corporate office environment has changed dramatically (When was the last time you saw an elevator operator?). The three stars provide great characterizations, with MacMurray the real surprise here playing against type. This film is also notable for solidifying the Wilder/Lemmon team. With The Apartment, Lemmon was no longer playing second male leads or supporting roles. A worthwhile film that is still enjoyable today, but the DVD version leaves much to be desired. The picture quality is good, but the looping (the sound synchronization) is off and very distracting. Don't know the reason for this, but considering this film's place in cinema history, I would have thought it would have gotten the A treatment. The DVD is a disappointment.
This 1960 winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1960,touched our hearts and made us smile 43 years ago and still does today. It has not lost one bit of it's charm and continues to add new fans all the time. It's a treasure chest of great cinema moments, and a must own for collectors of classics, Billy Wilder or Jack Lemmon films.
Lemmon's immense talent shines through as C.C. Baxter, one of thousands of office workers in a huge company who is quickly working his way to the top floor and the executive washroom. He's got what it takes to get ahead...he's a dedicated employee, and a hard worker, he's got they key to success...and it opens the door to his apartment! It seems the powers that be on the upper floors have discovered this single guy's bachelor pad and have badgered Baxter into letting them use it for their little extracurricular activities.
Things get complicated for C.C. though, when the big boss wants in on the action. He wants the apartment for his own use and now C.C. has a chance to go all the way to the top floor.But the rewards are bittersweet..Mr. Sheldrake's girl turns out to be the very sweet elevator operator Miss Fran Kubelik. The very girl that C.C. adores himself.
The moments as we watch C.C. agonize over this dilemma are touchingly funny,and poignant. Lemmon is brillant in his portrayal as he is able to bring all these emotions to the screen.The rest of the cast is excellent as well. Shirley MacLaine(Fran) will touch your heart, Fred MacMurray(Sheldrake) is marvelous at his turn as the philandering exec(you'll see him in a very different light from his "My Three Sons" role), and also look for such great notables as Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, Joan Shawlee,Hope Holiday and the wonderful Edie Adams. Oscar also honored legendary director Billy Wlider for his work as director and another for screenplay along with I.A.L. Diamond. The music by Adolph Deutsch is as sweet as the story and will stay with you for quite some time after the view.
Overall the DVD was quite good. This 43 year old film looked pretty good. It could use a little improvement. There were times when it showed it's age, but the black and white images were clear and bright for the most part.The sound is in Dolby Dig MONO!...."Some Like It Hot" made only 1 year prior to this one, has been enhanced with Dol Dig 5.1(on both DVD editions) and sounds great.The Special Edition of "SLIH", even gives you the choice of watching it in the 5.1 or the original mono. This is a film that deserves at least the same attention. It may be veiwed in French and Spanish and has subtitles in those langauges as well. But..there are no subtitles or captions in English for hearing impaired viewers to enjoy this great classic and that is a shame. This is a film that should be enjoyed by all! MGM..maybe it's time for a new edition of this treasure.
"That's the way it crumbles....cookie-wise"(Shirley MacLaine to Fred MacMurray).....enjoy...Laurie
also recommended:
reading:Inside Oscar, 10th Anniversary Edition
viewing:Some Like It HotThe Apartment is Billy Wilder's satirical look at office politics and the Man In The Grey Flannel Suit. Jack Lemmon stars as C.C. Baxter, a lowly office clerk in a huge corporation who is just another faceless working bee in an endless row of desks. When Baxter starts lending his apartment to executives in his firm so they can take their mistresses there, he finds himself moving up the corporate ladder. Although the constant loaning of his apartment starts to be an inconvenience, he keeps doing it as makes sense business wise. In meantime, he meets Fran, an elevator operator in his building, who is involved in affair with the big man in corporation, J.D. Sheldrake, played by Fred MacMurray. Mr. MacMurray is outstanding playing against type as the lascivious lowlife boss and philanderer (although is played another unscrupulous character quite well in The Caine Mutiny). Ms. MacLaine is excellent as the morose Fran who brings the situation between Baxter, Sheldrake and herself to head when she tries to commit suicide. Baxter must decide between his integrity and his career. Mr. Wilder masterfully fills the film with laughs and heart and his look at corporate politics is sharp and incisive. For his efforts, he yet again had a triple win at the Oscars, taking the 1960 Best Director, Screenwriting & Picture awards. The Apartment was also the last black & white film to win the Best Picture Oscar until Schindler's List (which has some elements of color) won in 1993.
Read Best Reviews of The Apartment (1960) Here
Legendary director, Billy Wilder?s "The Apartment" is one of those little jabs of tawdry pleasure that crop up every once in a while. It?s the tale of an overworked office jockey, C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) who wants so desperately to gain access to the executive suite that he starts renting out his apartment to company executives that are having affairs with their secretaries. Baxter?s shy repartee with elevator operator, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) seems promising enough for an office romance of his own. That is, until Baxter learns that Fran is in love with his boss, Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray). However, when Fran accepts that her affair with Jeff can go nowhere because he refuses to divorce his wife, she begins to realize her night in shining armor might not come with a key to the executive washroom, but is genuine and good for her nevertheless.MGM DVD has done a below average job of remastering this DVD. The 2:35:1 anamorphic picture exhibits overly harsh, digital characteristics that are wholly unflattering. Though the gray scale is well balanced, offering fine detail, there are excessive amounts of shimmering, edge enhancement and aliasing throughout. Shadow delineation and contrast levels during the night scenes are poorly rendered. The soundtrack is mono and strident. There are no extras.
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I usually get dragged into Shirley MacLaine movies kicking and screaming; that supposedly elfin charm of hers usually eludes me. Because of this, I neglected to watch "The Apartment" for years. All I can say about that now is, "Pardon me, Shirl, my mistake." This movie is a Wilder masterpiece and an absolute delight. One of the best things about it is that it shouldn't be funny; nearly everyone in it is a lying, abusive, double-crossing lecher with a heart of solid tin. There's adultery, alcoholism, and a suicide attempt, too. None of this would be remotely funny in lesser hands than Wilder's, let alone heart-warming, but the director manages this impossible feat handily. It helps that the central character, C.C. Baxter, is brought to life by Jack Lemmon; Lemmon's performance is one of the rare times in film you forget you're watching a star and genuinely believe in the character. Fred McMurray plays against typeamazingly wellas the slimy boss C.C. Baxter must please. Shirley MacLaine is, for once, the heartbreaking gamine she's cracked up to be. The supporting cast is terrificJack Kruschen is great as C.C. Baxter's next-door neighbor, a doctor. Joan Shawlee is her usual howlingly funny self as a floozy telephone operator, and Edie Adams gives herself over completely to an unsparing portrait of a scheming secretary. For my money, the best bit in the film is when C.C. Baxter, who has a cold, has been summoned to the boss' office for a talk that takes a VERY surprising turn. The sniffling, sneezing Baxter forgets he's holding his nose spray, and reflexively squeezes a six-foot stream of the stuff across the office. The film is richly detailled, with sets that blend seamlessly with the real New York City locations used. I spotted one inside joke in the movieC.C. Baxter gets his first real promotion and, therefore, his first real office at the company. Of course, Baxter's name is on his door; the door of the next office says that T.W. Plews is the occupant. The name is actually that of Tom "Limey" Plews, prop master for this movie and hundreds more. This is one of the greats, and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. There is one glitch in the video transfer you should know about; the original theatrical trailer is included on it, and the print of the trailer is absolutely terrible. Fortunately, the film itself is just fine. BUY this one, don't rent ityou'll want to see it again and again!Save 25% Off
