The Apartment is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. The movie stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David Lewis, Willard Waterman, David White, Hope Holiday, and Edie Adams. The plot follows an ambitious insurance clerk named C.C. "Bud" Baxter, who tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.
The film was distributed by United Artists and has a runtime of 125 minutes. It was made with a budget of $3 million and grossed $24.6 million at the box office. The Apartment received critical acclaim and was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning five, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It was also selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The Apartment is a classic film that is well-regarded for its blend of humor, romance, and social commentary. It features strong performances from its lead actors and is considered one of Billy Wilder's best works.
Plot
The Apartment is a romantic comedy-drama film that tells the story of C.C. Baxter, an insurance clerk who tries to climb the corporate ladder by letting his bosses use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. C.C. Baxter is a low-level employee at a large insurance company in New York City.
He is dedicated to his work but is also a meek pushover who has been intimidated into letting his bosses use his conveniently located apartment for their trysts. Meanwhile, the neighbors in the apartment building assume that Baxter is a "good time Charlie" who brings home a different drunken woman every night. Baxter accepts their criticism rather than reveal the truth.
Baxter's life takes a turn when he falls in love with Fran Kubelik, an elevator operator in the same building. However, Fran is having an affair with Jeff Sheldrake, one of Baxter's bosses. When Sheldrake promises to leave his wife and marry Fran, she agrees to spend New Year's Eve with him.
Baxter, who is unaware of Fran's affair with Sheldrake, prepares a romantic evening for her in his apartment. When Fran learns that Sheldrake has no intention of leaving his wife, she attempts suicide in theapartment. Baxter finds her and takes care of her, and they develop a close relationship.
When Sheldrake tries to use Baxter's apartment for another affair, Baxter stands up to him and quits his job. When Kubelik hears of this from Sheldrake, she realizes that Baxter is the man who truly loves her and abandons Sheldrake, running to Baxter's apartment. Baxter, in the end, chooses to be with Fran, and they leave the apartment building together.
Cast
- Jack Lemmon as C.C. Baxter
- Shirley MacLaine as Fran Kubelik
- Fred MacMurray as Jeff Sheldrake
- Ray Walston as Joe Dobisch
- Jack Kruschen as Dr. Dreyfuss
- David Lewis as Al Kirkeby
- Hope Holiday as Mrs. Margie MacDougall
- Joan Shawlee as Sylvia
- Naomi Stevens as Mrs. Mildred Dreyfuss
- Johnny Seven as Karl Matuschka
- Joyce Jameson as The Blonde
- Willard Waterman as Mr. Vanderhoff
- David White as Mr. Eichelberger
- Edie Adams as Miss Olsen
Other cast members include Dorothy Abbott, Bill Baldwin, Paul Bradley, Benny Burt, and others in uncredited roles.
Director: Billy Wilder
Writer: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond
Box Office Gross: $18,778,738
Distributor: United Artist
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 15, 1960
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 29, 2016
Trailer:
