The Apartment (1960)

Director: Billy Wilder

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray

A Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.

C. C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) is a bachelor. He works at an insurance company that employs some 31,000 people. Hoping for a promotion, he makes his apartment available to a few of his managers, who uses the apartment for their own ‘personal affairs’ (and I mean this literally!). However inconvenient, he has to vacate his apartment during such a time.

When word about the apartment reaches Baxter’s boss, Jeff (Fred MacMurray) he, too, wants to make use of the apartment. Jeff is a “happily married man”, but has a history of having affairs with his secretaries – and others. He happens to be in love with Fran (Shirley MacLaine), the lift operator, and is prepared to leave his wife for her. But Baxter also has feelings for Fran, and he doesn’t know about Jeff, who in turn doesn’t know about Baxter’s feelings.

And this is where a few twists and surprises start. After a comedic start, the film takes a different turn when one of the characters tries to commit suicide. ‘The Apartment’ effectively treats the serious issues in a dramatic way, and the humour in a lighthearted way – without the one getting in the way of the other. This is a perfect blend of comedy and drama – although mostly comedy.

I really enjoyed ‘The Apartment’, and in particular Jack Lemmon’s performance. The film is also a beautiful romantic movie. This is well worth a watch.

‘The Apartment’ earned $24.6 million on a $3 million budget. It received several accolades and won five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Black-and-White), and Best Editing. It also received Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound, and Best Cinematography (Black-and-White).

Would I watch it again? Yes.