The Apartment (1960)

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Billy Wilder (written by) and
I.A.L. Diamond (written by)

Release Date:

16 September 1960 (France)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A Billy "Some Like It Hot" Wilder Production

Plot:

A man tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Executive | Insurance | Elevator | Divorce

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	C.C. Baxter
Shirley MacLaine	...	Fran Kubelik
Fred MacMurray	...	Jeff D. Sheldrake
Ray Walston	...	Joe Dobisch
Jack Kruschen	...	Dr. Dreyfuss
David Lewis	...	Al Kirkeby
Hope Holiday	...	Mrs. Margie MacDougall
Joan Shawlee	...	Sylvia
Naomi Stevens	...	Mrs. Mildred Dreyfuss
Johnny Seven	...	Karl Matuschka
Joyce Jameson	...	The Blonde
Willard Waterman	...	Mr. Vanderhoff
David White	...	Mr. Eichelberger
Edie Adams	...	Miss Olsen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Abbott	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	...	TV Movie Host (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Charlie - Bartender (uncredited)
Mason Curry	...	(uncredited)
Frances Weintraub Lax	...	Mrs. Lieberman (uncredited)
David Macklin	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Hal Smith	...	Man in Santa Claus Suit (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
Billy Wilder		(written by) and
I.A.L. Diamond		(written by)

Produced by
I.A.L. Diamond	....	associate producer
Doane Harrison	....	associate producer
Billy Wilder	....	producer

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch

Cinematography by
Joseph LaShelle

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell

Art Direction by
Alexandre Trauner		(as Alexander Trauner)

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Makeup Department
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Allen K. Wood	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal W. Polaire	....	assistant director (as Hal Polaire)
Angelo Laiacona	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Tom Plews	....	property master
Harold Michelson	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Del Harris	....	sound effects editor
Fred Lau	....	sound
Gordon Sawyer	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Milt Rice	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Bert Chaliacombe	....	best boy (uncredited)
Hugh Crawford	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jack Harris	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Karl Reed	....	key grip (uncredited)
William Schurr	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Forrest T. Butler	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Irene Caine	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)

Music Department
Sid Sidney	....	music editor
John Williams	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
May Wale Brown	....	continuity (as May Wale)
Dr. Reuben Kaufman	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Miriam Nelson	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Joe Palma	....	stand-in: Jack Lemmon (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The

Distributors

• United Artists (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Seven Films (2007) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Seven Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• United Artists (1960) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Triage Motion Picture Services  2003 restoration

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (1994) | Canada:G (Quebec) (2000) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #19647) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

205 Columbus Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

This is the first Best Picture Oscar winner to specifically refer to a previous winner, in this case Grand Hotel (1932), which Baxter attempts to watch on television but is too long delayed because of commercials. Bud's boss also refers to Bud and Fran having "a lost weekend" together in Bud's apartment, a reference to Billy Wilder's earlier Oscar winner, The Lost Weekend (1945).

Goofs:

Continuity: Fran's hair keeps shifting and changing during the gin rummy game.

Quotes:

[first lines]
C.C. Baxter: [narrating] On November 1st, 1959, the population of New York City was 8,042,783. If you laid all these people end to end, figuring an average height of five feet six and a half inches, they would reach from Times Square to the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan. I know facts like this because I work for an insurance company - Consolidated Life of New York. We're one of the top five companies in the country. Our home office has 31,259 employees, which is more than the entire population of uhh...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spin City: The Apartment (#1.3)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Capriccio Italien, Op. 45

That's the way it crumbles...

What a wonderful way to spend an evening--dinner, Christmas and New Year's with CC Baxter (Jack Lemmon) and 'friends', accompanied by much champagne and laughter, and spaghetti and meatballs lovingly prepared by the host himself. There's even a game of gin rummy to get into that Baxter and Fran can't ever seem to finish--here's hoping it never does!

THE APARTMENT is one of those truly classic classic movies--for one thing, it has an absolutely top-notch cast, featuring Jack Lemmon (at his wryly humourous best); Shirley MacLaine (a glowing screen presence); Fred MacMurray (smarm personified); and a younger Ray Walston (still wisecracking, still hilarious). They also benefit from a clever, perceptive and timelessly relevant script by Billy Wilder, under his capable direction. Though there are plenty of brilliant one-liners, the best of the dialogue feels true and real, which adds to the feeling that you've known Baxter et al for years. I loved the score to the movie as well, artfully attributed to the Rickshaw Boys and used to great effect.

There are so many good moments scattered throughout the film (I can't even begin to enumerate them all here!). A lot of them are little touches that must have been added by the actors themselves (Jack Lemmon humming as he prepares the meatball sauce is just *so* funny!). I love the madness of the Christmas party scene, and when Baxter's doctor-neighbour takes charge of the situation with Fran, slapping her awake and marching her around the living room. I also love it when Baxter first starts playing gin rummy with Fran, and she reveals how she has a talent for falling for the wrong guy all the time. Best of all, Lemmon makes such a believable, sweet pushover that you often want to shake him and hug him at the same time--the things he would do for Fran! It makes his final scene with MacMurray that much more satisfying for the audience.

If you see this gem of a movie on a video store shelf, or (even better) playing in the cinema, don't let it pass you by. Join Baxter, Fran, Mr. Sheldrake and everyone else, and have a great time!