Kate's Film Club: The Apartment
by Kate Pop Culture
In the final installation of our holiday series, our resident film buff đź’ŞKate Corcoran rings in the New Year with a Shirley Maclaine classic. You're gonna wanna watch this one...
Photo // IMDb
Billy Wilder, 1960
Available to stream on: Prime Video and the Roku Channel.
How do I even introduce this film? It’s everything – funny, dark, sexy, silly. It’s a timeless masterpiece. I guess I’ll do it like this: Are you a fan of excellent movies? Here you go, you’re welcome!!!
I was sucked into this story within the first 2 minutes. We immediately meet our main character, C.C. “Bud” Baxter (Jack Lemmon), at work. Now, I’ve never worked a corporate job or in an office before, so any scene in that world is fascinating to me. Bud works on the 19th floor of a massive complex in Manhattan. He’s one of thousands of employees. How does a guy get noticed in a place like that? How is he supposed to climb the corporate ladder with a bazillion other coworkers? Quite simply, he rents out his one-bedroom apartment to his male bosses and their mistresses for the evenings. See, I told you it was sexy!
This is obviously a terrible idea. Bud is getting taken advantage of left and right, and if he speaks up, he will lose his pending promotion. Plus, he’s a tragically sweet man who has a hard time saying no. Not to mention, this arrangement really pisses off his neighbors, who are under the impression that Bud is some kind of raucous playboy. More trouble finds him when Bud falls in love with the elevator girl, Fran (Shirley MacLaine). What Bud doesn’t know, though, is that she is having an affair with his boss.
The Apartment is a laugh-out-loud, funny, and tragic film.
It perfectly fits into the genres of comedy, drama, and romance. I was just so impressed with how timeless it felt. The corporate dynamics and how unethical actions are celebrated (especially amongst men) feel relevant today. None of the characters feel “old-timey” like you typically see in movies from this time. Shirley MacLaine is incredibly modern and current-feeling. She is one of the great actresses of this century.
I’m obsessed with a leading lady who has short hair and with a man who prefers it to longer locks. As a pixie-sporting gal, I always find it a big red flag when a man must mention how he “liked it better long.” From now on, I will be using Fran’s retort, “You want a lock to carry in your wallet?”
Please indulge me while I show you how glamorous I find 60s corporate office life & more:
-The allure of a rolodex is very real for me.
-Oh, how I dream of being a fly on the wall of an office holiday party!
-Nobody is cuter than Fran!
-Really dug the tiki bar.
-Miss Olsen is a classic 60s dream.
-Using a tennis racket as a strainer is such a bachelor move.
Final Rating
I’m rating The Apartment 98/100 keys under the mat. 🔑
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To read all of Kate’s wildly deep and complex reviews, follow @katecorcoran on Letterboxd!Â
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