‘THE APARTMENT’ IS 65 YEARS YOUNG! CELEBRATING THE MOVIE IN ITS ANNIVERSARY YEAR
Like so many films before it, a well-loved title that I haven’t seen is one I’m only just now seeing. In this case, it’s some six decades late. Another big movie anniversary is here and so now we are celebrating The Apartment 65 years later. A film that is feel-good in one manner, but then verges into something more serious.
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‘THE APARTMENT’ IS 65 YEARS YOUNG! CELEBRATING THE MOVIE IN ITS ANNIVERSARY YEAR. Celebrating the iconic romantic dramedy with Jack Lemmon. #MovieAnniversary Share on XFeaturing Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon co-star in this film about an elevator operator and an insurance executive who share an office. MacLaine’s Fran is mostly cheerful, but she is trying to move on from heartbreak. Lemmon’s C.C. Baxter is rising fast in his company, but he’s doing this by allowing his small but convenient apartment to be used by the higher ups needing a place to bring their, well, secret dalliances. Things get complicated though when Baxter develops a crush…
As The Apartment celebrates its 65th year being in the world now for over six decades, let’s look closer as some of the best things about the film.
THE APARTMENT, 65 years later
THE APARTMENT scenes
The middle part of the film, which gets bookends from office scenes, that has Baxter in the apartment is a nice section and serves as the real place that helps us see the kind of person he is. It doesn’t do a great job (which is true of many other titles) of letting us see him falling for someone, but his actions do show the care and yes, love he has. Little things like the spaghetti bit or the cards add a lot even though they are simple moments, it’s this that is part of the joy of the scenes. It’s more about connection than reaction or as is true of relationships today, inaction (aka ignoring). It’s just a nice and well done sequence.
BAXTER
Jack Lemmon’s C.C. Baxter is an interesting character. He’s oddly charming and likable and also, there is a certain sense of relatability. I think lots of us want to be able to like people and be liked in return, and Baxter drips in this personality trait. I think he is also awkward in a charming way, and if we’re honest, I would say most of us can say we have experienced feeling awkward when participating in any number of social niceties. It is these things, and more that endear him and make the character surprisingly lovely. the apartment 65 years later
THE STORY
This is probably a story that will annoy some, but I think it is surprisingly clever. It has a unique surface level plot (at least from what I see) and then what makes it doubly interesting is the fact that there is depth. The plot veers into darker rather than staying just “funny,” and that is interesting.
Photos: Alamy
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What do you love about this film? Have you seen it (or are you like me and never did watch it)? What are you doing for this The Apartment 65 years later celebration? Have you seen Jack Lemmon in anything else? Comment all of your thoughts below!
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