The Apartment
The Apartment
NR | 21 June 1960 (USA)
The Apartment Trailers

Bud Baxter is a minor clerk in a huge New York insurance company, until he discovers a quick way to climb the corporate ladder. He lends out his apartment to the executives as a place to take their mistresses. Although he often has to deal with the aftermath of their visits, one night he's left with a major problem to solve.

Reviews
Karry Best movie of this year hands down!
WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.
Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
Yazmin Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.
theresamgill This movie won 4 other Oscars-- including director and writer-- and a handful of nominations like nods to the 2 lead roles in Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Lemmon plays Mr. Baxter, a gullible schnook (his coworkers' words, not mine. Well... yeah, my words too) who can't say no to his superiors at the office. They borrow his key to the apartment, and they use it for their scandalous affairs; in return, Mr. Baxter keeps getting high recommendations which result in promotions. It's not exactly the lightest of fares, but a consistent script and an endlessly likable lead keep the comedic tone. The light-hearted tone mixed with egregious company behavior is seen in full swing on the elevators. Here, executives are quick to play off contact with the elevator girls that laugh it off; such is not the case with the respectable Mr. Baxter. He treats elevator girl Fran with care and shows genuine interest in her. It is indeed the makings of a rom-com, but the film actually gets quite melancholy. Mr. Baxter's boss Mr. Sheldrake finds out about the key, and it turns out he wants in on the action. Only, unbeknownst to Lemmon at the time, that action is supposed to be with Fran. There's an interaction that takes place halfway through the movie that, to me, shows the style of wit, character interaction, and overall mood of the film. Mr. Baxter is feeling down on his luck since it is New Year's Eve and everyone seems to be having the time of their life (including a coworker who has Baxter's apartment reserved for the night), and even though he is being promoted at a breakneck pace, he does not really have any companion to tell about-- now not even Fran. This leads him to a bar with quite an intoxicated woman whose husband is currently on the other side of the country. She tries striking up a conversation, asking about his family (he has none) and relationships (none). After his deadbeat attitude, she says, "Night like this, it sorta spooks you, walking into an empty apartment," to which Lemmon replies, "I said I had no family. I didn't say I had an empty apartment." It's not really laugh-out-loud kind of wit that we think of in today's sense, but it is just that clever twist in writing that tries to uplift a story that has its darker moments. This will not be the funniest comedy you see, but there are plenty of reasons to watch it. The story unfolds nicely, and I think the leads bring loads of charm to the screen. But really, the main quality brought about upon a viewing today is the level of nostalgia that comes along. The music is fitting but completely over the top, the dialogue is clever without pushing the envelope, the clothes and cars and elevators and lights all reek of 1960, and heck, it is a black and white film. There is inexplicably some joy of watching people have to twirl their fingers to dial each number to make a phone call, and I had the greatest time seeing the remote control Mr. Baxter had for his tv. For those of you that think old films are too slow-paced, unrelatable, too black and white, and simply not interesting, really take a look at this movie. The story is one of the most engaging, the characters are vibrant (and yes, a little old-timey), and you will ultimately leave the movie feeling better than before. I'm not really sure how stiff the competition was, but the Oscars for this film feel well-deserved. You hear about Casablanca and Citizen Kane and To Kill a Mockingbird and whatever else, but despite all the acclaim, you don't really hear about The Apartment. And I think that is a bit of a shame because this film should be right up there in being considered a classic. You can find this review and dozens more at gillipediamoviereviews.blogspot.com
Smoreni Zmaj Many consider this movie to be one of the best of all times. I wouldn't go that far, but it certainly is evergreen classic. Billy Wilder well deserved all three Oscars he won, for best movie, best screenplay and best directing. Movie won five Oscars out of ten nominations. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine will mesmerize you with combination of drama, comedy and romance. This is one beautiful movie that everyone should see.9/10
Knox Morris What a wonderful, touching film this is, a movie that deserves the roaring laughs and glassy eyes that it inspires. It's amazing that after 57 years "The Apartment" still holds up as one of the most authentic depictions of the every-man. Our lead character, portrayed excellently by Jack Lemmon, is one of the most likable protagonists ever conceived. Created by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, he truly relates to the audience on a purely human level, allowing us to reflect on our personal psychology and memories. MacLaine's character is like a periscope into the complexity of our homosapian counterparts. She works off Lemmon beautifully, but on her own she's a tragic character, occupying a world which doesn't give back to her. And then there's MacMurray, the most distant character of the film. He tries to make things right, but ultimately fails due to his social inadequacy and marital insecurity. I strongly believe that these three characters occupy all of us, even in scattered proportions. They all represent our dark sides, kindness, and constant anxieties. Having been put in this high esteem I wouldn't find it strange to declare this an ultimate character study. It has one of the best screenplays of all time, and is quite possibly the best dramady ever made. No one ever said life was all sweet.
JasonIK75 Maybe because I was born in 1975, but, I couldn't find what the appeal of this movie was supposed to be. The bosses are manipulative lowlifes, the alleged "hero" is a spineless coward, the women are treated like garbage...and this won FIVE Oscars, when it didn't even deserve to be nominated for even ONE? There is a serious case of Values Dissonance going on, since I can't imagine anything like what happened being allowed today, as lawsuits would be flying left and right. Avoid this overrated mess.