Considered one of the greatest films ever made, The Apartment tells the story of C.C Baxter (Jack Lemmon), a lowly office worker who is taken advantage of by his seniors at work as they use his apartment for their extramarital affairs.
The neighbours, hearing the exploits coming from C.C. Baxter's apartment, think that he seems to have a new woman every week! However, he only has eyes on one girl, Miss Kubelik, who is the elevator operative at the office.
This film was made in 1960, and in black and white, an artistic choice since colour technology was widely available when filming. There's much discussion as to whether The Apartment is a comedy or an old-fashioned romance, but it's actually a bit of both.
Despite its age, this film is probably the most modern black-and-white film you'll ever watch. Jack Lemmon is superb as Baxter, the downtrodden office worker who just won't stand up to his boss, or even to the neighbours, who persist in giving him an earful for the apparent way he treats women - despite the fact that nothing could be further from the truth!
Shirley MacLaine is also equally brilliant as Fran Kubelik, the slightly naive lift operative who stands Baxter up as she has her sights set on someone else...📷
The events of the film take place in the weeks around Christmas and New Year's Eve, making this a great watch around Christmas time.
Despite being a widely revered and decorated movie, The Apartment isn't aired on telly much (not in the UK anyway) and that's a shame, as it should be a Christmas essential watch!
If you're new to black-and-white films, then this is a great one to start with, because it feels modern and the humour is edgy, certainly for its time anyway. It truly isn't a bit dated!
Written by Rhianna Evans
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