The Apartment
C.C. Baxter: The mirror... it's broken.
Fran Kubelik: Yes, I know. I like it that way. Makes me look the way I feel.
First-wise; THANK YOU to whomever caught the hint in the first Personal Recommendation about hoping someone would pick this film for me.
I have been a fan of Jack Lemon since I was a wee pup of around 6 or so when I became enamored with
The Great Race. And I'm not sure, but it was scarcely a couple years after that I saw my very first Billy Wilder film,
Some Like it Hot BECAUSE Jack Lemon, along with Tony Curtis were in it. Or perhaps it was
Stalag 17, both of which were pretty close to when I first saw them.
Regardless, as this pup became the old wolf that I am, I've enjoyed, not only Wilder as a Director but even more so as a Writer. Even more so after joining this forum and having the opportunity to visit some of his truly best that I had wanted to and never seemed to. So I was downright f@ckin tickled to add
two more in this HoF. The first being
Ace in the Hole and now, this.
CC Baxter is an aspiring numbers cruncher at a very large Insurance firm who works late. Not out of dedication to his work. It's because several executives from the upper floors use his apartment to cheat on their wives.
Now, what could be, with such a premise, a simple madcap comedy, Wilder is a genius at finding comedy within some rather tragic circumstances, and is brilliant at mixing them together, time and time again. While the comedy is in a larger dose here, it's target is something far more in depth. With Baxter falling in love with Shirley McLain's Fran Kubelik. The Elevator Operator with amazing wisdom and horrible luck when it comes choosing men.
Again, what would be a By The Numbers story of New York boy meets a New York girl, Wilder delves deeper into the flaws of his characters while still retaining the clever wit that is the lifeblood of a Billy Wilder film.
This film has been awarded the F@ckin YAY! Seal Of Approval.