I watched the Special Feature, "Inside the Apartment" which was really good because they talked about the context of the movie which is always really helpful. Billy Wilder first conceived of this story in the mid 40's but felt like the subject matter would not be accepted - adultery was not really shown and spoke of outright and it was basically a "rule" in Hollywood that the sanctity of marriage always be upheld. By the time the late 50's rolled around, there was a scandal in the press about a woman who was cheating on her husband with another man, always going to a secret apartment to meet. It so happened that this guy was the superior at work to the apartment owner who was just looking to advance his career......well, voila! Not only did Billy have the rest of his story put together, he also felt like maybe now he could get away with it.
I should probably go ahead and say...The Apartment is about an insurance worker, CC Baxter (Lemmon) in the late 50's who rents an apartment a half block from Central Park - unfortunately he can't use the apartment in the evenings as much as he would like because the key to his place is passed around the office amongst men looking for a place to take their mistresses. CC agrees to it even though it's inconvenient because it has allowed him to move ahead in the company. Shirley MacLaine plays Fran, the elevator attendant - which I think is funny - I can't imagine having that kind of job. Anyhoo, CC really likes Fran and asks her out only to be stood up. Later he finds out that Fran has actually been seeing Mr. Sheldrake, his boss, who is married and using the key to his place! One night when Fran is at CC's with Mr. Sheldrake, she realizes that he really does not love her and is afraid she is just another woman to him...so after he leaves she takes sleeping pills and passes out. CC of course comes home and finds her, solicits the help of his doctor neighbor, and nurses her back to health.....in the end, even though Mr. Sheldrake leaves his wife, Fran realizes it's really CC that she loves - they have a fantastic When-Harry-Met-Sally-esque New Years eve ending :)
I loooooooooved Jack Lemmon so so much! He was super cute - I've never seen him in a movie where he was young. This is one of the reasons I am loving this challenge - I mean, I know who so many of the legends ARE but I don't know firsthand about their work and it's been really fun to learn. I should be getting Some Like it Hot soon....yay!
I'm not sure how to classify this movie...comedy? drama? romance? It's funny, but I wouldn't say all out comedy....let's go with Drama.
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