The Apartment

Madisen Stubbs | April 2019 - 2 min read

Again, not many people see me as a person who actively seeks out comedies. I really do try to defend myself. Nevertheless, I cannot seem to get my point across about how much I enjoy classic comedies rather than what is put out today.

The Apartment is another classic comedy, though from a more modern time period. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in Billy Wilder’s The Apartment.

Now, the plot is simple. A goofy character by the name of C.C. Baxter (Lemmon) lends out his apartment to his co-workers for extramarital affairs. It is already humorous to think that a movie with this premise came out in 1960. Reader, I am telling you that these types of situations are not new, especially to Hollywood. The set up is hilarious because Baxter’s neighbors assume he is the town’s biggest womanizer.

Down the road, Baxter meets Fran Kubelik (MacLaine) and falls for her. Unfortunately, she is the mistress of Baxter’s boss. Interestingly, the mood of the film takes a left turn and deals with personal issues. The film as a whole is fun but it also picks your brain about the situation Baxter got himself into.

If you are looking for a slightly more modern comedy, The Apartment is a great choice. Jack Lemmon performs phenomenally, as usual, and Shirley MacLaine looks absolutely stunning throughout the entire film.

Interesting Facts

• According to IMDB, The Apartment was the last Black & White film to win an Academy Awards up until 2011 when The Artist snagged Best Picture.

• Lemmon being Lemmon, Billy Wilder gave Jack full reign of the character.

• On Shirley MacLaine’s official website, she mention how much of the film was written during the filming process.

Thank you for reading. What parts of the film did you find most interesting and humorous?