list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Apartment on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Apartment/1550/default.aspx Title: The Apartment
Year: 1960
Director: Billy Wilder
Plot: Widely regarded as a comedy in 1960, The Apartment seems more melancholy with each passing year. Jack Lemmon plays C.C. Baxter, a go-getting office worker who loans his tiny apartment to his philandering superiors for their romantic trysts. He runs into trouble when he finds himself sharing a girlfriend (Shirley MacLaine) with his callous boss (Fred MacMurray). Director/co-writer Billy Wilder claimed that the idea for The Apartment stemmed from a short scene in the 1945 romantic drama Brief Encounter in which the illicit lovers (Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson) arrange a rendezvous in a third person's apartment. Wilder was intrigued about what sort of person would willingly vacate his residence to allow virtual strangers a playing field for hanky panky. His answer to that question wound up winning 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Apartment was adapted by Neil Simon and Burt Bacharach into the 1969 Broadway musical Promises, Promises. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 8
Number of Lists: 43
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:50:15 GMTThe Apartment1960Billy WilderWidely regarded as a comedy in 1960, The Apartment seems more melancholy with each passing year. <a href="/players/P____99306/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jack Lemmon</a> plays C.C. Baxter, a go-getting office worker who loans his tiny apartment to his philandering superiors for their romantic trysts. He runs into trouble when he finds himself sharing a girlfriend (<a href="/players/P____44255/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Shirley MacLaine</a>) with his callous boss (<a href="/players/P____44291/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fred MacMurray</a>). Director/co-writer <a href="/players/P___116768/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Billy Wilder</a> claimed that the idea for The Apartment stemmed from a short scene in the 1945 romantic drama <a href=/films/4453/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Brief Encounter</a> in which the illicit lovers (<a href="/players/P____33529/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Trevor Howard</a> and <a href="/players/P____35792/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Celia Johnson</a>) arrange a rendezvous in a third person's apartment. Wilder was intrigued about what sort of person would willingly vacate his residence to allow virtual strangers a playing field for hanky panky. His answer to that question wound up winning 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Apartment was adapted by <a href="/players/P___111573/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Neil Simon</a> and <a href="/players/P____80337/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Burt Bacharach</a> into the 1969 Broadway musical Promises, Promises. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide8Taggedy Taggged (6-10)43963http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u51829ho7u9.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Apartment/1550/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_New_Movies_11_14_James_Bond_a_new_Christmas/216/37366/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/17/2008 10:14:01 AM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment? [/quote] Elevator to the Gallows - for some reason this one's been on my mind lately. [/quote] Thanks for the recommendation, Leeroy. And yes Rizzo, you reminded me that one of my Top 20 (Out of the Past) has a love triangle. I thought of another one I really like -- Swing Kids.
]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:14:01 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon11/17/2008 10:14:01 AM[quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment? [/quote] Elevator to the Gallows - for some reason this one's been on my mind lately. [/quote] Thanks for the recommendation, Leeroy. And yes Rizzo, you reminded me that one of my Top 20 (Out of the Past) has a love triangle. I thought of another one I really like -- Swing Kids. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_New_Movies_11_14_James_Bond_a_new_Christmas/216/37311/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/14/2008 1:13:43 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment? [/quote] Elevator to the Gallows - for some reason this one's been on my mind lately.
]]>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:13:43 GMTleeroy711Coming Soon11/14/2008 1:13:43 PM[quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment? [/quote] Elevator to the Gallows - for some reason this one's been on my mind lately. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_New_Movies_11_14_James_Bond_a_new_Christmas/216/37310/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/14/2008 1:08:49 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment?
]]>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:08:49 GMTRisseladaComing Soon11/14/2008 1:08:49 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"]Love triangle movies aren't really my thing. I did enjoy Bridget Jones' Diary more than I expected to, but mostly because I liked Colin Firth's character. Would anyone recommend particular love-triangle movies for someone who normally isn't a fan of them?[/quote] Out of the Past kind of has one. I know you like that. Maybe The Apartment? http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37287/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: STEPHENtheDIRECTOR
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/13/2008 4:38:42 PM
Body: Depressing holidays: Pieces of April The Ice Storm Groundhog Day The Apartment Planes, Trains & Automobiles Dysfunctional Families: Pieces of April The Royal Tenebaums Psycho Happiness Running With Scissors Most Accessible Foreign Films: Amelie Night Watch Run Lola Run The Lives of Others Pan's Labyrinth
]]>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:38:42 GMTSTEPHENtheDIRECTORTop 511/13/2008 4:38:42 PMDepressing holidays: Pieces of April The Ice Storm Groundhog Day The Apartment Planes, Trains &amp; Automobiles Dysfunctional Families: Pieces of April The Royal Tenebaums Psycho Happiness Running With Scissors Most Accessible Foreign Films: Amelie Night Watch Run Lola Run The Lives of Others Pan's Labyrinth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/12/37255.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/12/2008 3:00:44 PM
Body: I saw Christmas decorations in a storefront Sunday, so I guess it’s already time to break out the holiday movies. And it’s evidently time for distributors to release holiday fare to theaters, even if Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which hits theaters this Friday, isn’t exactly the latest crowd-pleasing installment of the Santa Clause franchise. In fact, with such ingredients as estrangement, mental illness, alcoholism and cancer, it doesn’t seem like a very happy holidays kind of film. Even if it is actually a comedy. But then how many holiday movies are completely void of depressing themes and scenes? I’m sure to have grown up thinking more about the homeless, suicide and family dysfunction from films set at Christmas and Thanksgiving than I did thinking about the happiness that comes with these holidays. One of the most tearjerking moments for me as a kid was certainly seeing Mickey Mouse crying over his dead son in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It’s no wonder so many people get sad this time of year. Movies are influential, and for every bit of slapstick we see this season, there’s potentially room for thoughts of abandoned children to go along with it. Worse for our tearducts are the films that aren’t necessarily thought of as “holiday movies,” which are typically more honest about how much of a bummer holidays can truly be. So get out your hanky and check out our list of ten most depressing holidays in movies: Movie: Planes, Trains and Automobiles Depressing holiday: Thanksgiving It’s likely that John Hughes is a real drag on holidays. His scripts feature kids forgotten at Christmastime (Home Alone and its sequels), poor teens who get cartons of cigarettes as presents (The Breakfast Club) and yuletide kidnappings (Christmas Vacation). Thanksgiving seems to be the most melancholy for him, though, as is clear from the bittersweet road trip movies Dutch and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the latter of which is up there with the saddest “comedies” ever made. Sure, it ultimately has a happy ending, but those last few minutes leave you bawling as you watch the montage and subsequent scene revealing John Candy’s true living situation. Film: The Apartment Depressing Holiday: Christmas It’s sad enough to be a lonely bachelor on Christmas Eve. It’s even sadder to be loaning out your home as a lover’s hideaway on such a night. Saddest of all, though, has to be returning to said apartment to find a half-dead woman in your bed who has attempted suicide with your sleeping pills (bonus points for her being your crush). The Apartment also has one of the more depressing New Year’s Eves on film, even if it does kind of figure into a “happy” ending. Film: Lethal Weapon Depressing Holiday: Christmas Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is also a lonely man on Christmas Eve dealing with suicide, but here it’s the contemplation of his own. While watching Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol on TV and thinking about his dead wife, he loads up his gun and wrestles with his demons. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching scenes to ever be included in an action movie. Film: The War at Home Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving Like Martin Riggs, Jeremy Collier (Emilio Estevez) is a Vietnam vet, and also like Riggs, he has trouble putting his gun away during the holidays. Unlike Riggs, though, Jeremy’s weapon is directed at his father (Martin Sheen) rather than himself, and that leads to a less-depressing but no less disheartening situation. Film: A Midnight Clear Depressing Holiday: Christmas One of the most bittersweet war films ever made, A Midnight Clear is set during Christmas, 1944, in the middle of WWII and involves an intended holiday truce between American and German troops. Unfortunately, things go wrong. Not only does the film remind us currently that so many soldiers are away from home and potentially fighting on Christmas, it also displays some depressing truths about humanity and war that are saddening regardless of the season. Film: The Ice Storm Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving This movie (which could also qualify for yesterday’s list of best dysfunctional families) reminds us of how sad Thanksgiving can be on an historical level thanks to the sardonic pre-dinne grace said by Wendy (Christina Ricci) regarding both America’s tradition of killing and robbing the Indians and its gluttonous disregard for the starving people around the world (didn’t we all go through that holiday protest phase?). Oh, and it features one of the most unsettling death-by-electrocution scenes ever. Film: Gremlins Depressing Holiday: Christmas The present holiday of this horror comedy classic is pretty sad considering all the death and destruction being caused by little green monsters, but the real depressing Christmas is the one from the past that Kate (Phoebe Cates) tells about. You know, the one where her father broke his neck and died on Christmas Eve while playing Santa Claus. And by recalling the details so slowly and in depth (she could have just simply said that her dad died on Christmas), she makes it even more somber a story than is welcome at such an already fearsome occasion. Film: Critters 2: The Main Course Depressing Holiday: Easter Obviously taking a cue from Gremlins, this sequel similarly involves little creatures terrorizing a small town during a holiday. And while not quite as gloomy for a young viewer as the earlier, better film, Critters 2 does feature a relatively upsetting scene in which “the Easter Bunny” is attacked by Crites and then crashes through a church window, ultimately bleeding from the mouth, dead. Film: Groundhog Day Depressing Holiday: Groundhog Day Not that anyone really celebrates this “holiday” (neither school nor post office is closed), but whatever. Though treated as black comedy, there is something quite depressing about all those suicide attempts made by Phil Connors (Bill Murray). It’s enough to cast a shadow (yuk yuk) on all the happiness that otherwise would come from Groundhog Day if it actually involved celebratory activities. Film: Roger & Me Depressing Holiday: Christmas Documentaries have the ability to make for the most depressing holidays, because they feature real life events — like a family being evicted from their home on Christmas day. This one is especially grim this year, as it’s possible that with the economy and mortgage crisis what they are that some families across America will be experiencing such a fate this December 25. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:00:44 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/12/2008 3:00:44 PMI saw Christmas decorations in a storefront Sunday, so I guess it’s already time to break out the holiday movies. And it’s evidently time for distributors to release holiday fare to theaters, even if Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which hits theaters this Friday, isn’t exactly the latest crowd-pleasing installment of the Santa Clause franchise. In fact, with such ingredients as estrangement, mental illness, alcoholism and cancer, it doesn’t seem like a very happy holidays kind of film. Even if it is actually a comedy. But then how many holiday movies are completely void of depressing themes and scenes? I’m sure to have grown up thinking more about the homeless, suicide and family dysfunction from films set at Christmas and Thanksgiving than I did thinking about the happiness that comes with these holidays. One of the most tearjerking moments for me as a kid was certainly seeing Mickey Mouse crying over his dead son in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It’s no wonder so many people get sad this time of year. Movies are influential, and for every bit of slapstick we see this season, there’s potentially room for thoughts of abandoned children to go along with it. Worse for our tearducts are the films that aren’t necessarily thought of as “holiday movies,” which are typically more honest about how much of a bummer holidays can truly be. So get out your hanky and check out our list of ten most depressing holidays in movies: Movie: Planes, Trains and Automobiles Depressing holiday: Thanksgiving It’s likely that John Hughes is a real drag on holidays. His scripts feature kids forgotten at Christmastime (Home Alone and its sequels), poor teens who get cartons of cigarettes as presents (The Breakfast Club) and yuletide kidnappings (Christmas Vacation). Thanksgiving seems to be the most melancholy for him, though, as is clear from the bittersweet road trip movies Dutch and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the latter of which is up there with the saddest “comedies” ever made. Sure, it ultimately has a happy ending, but those last few minutes leave you bawling as you watch the montage and subsequent scene revealing John Candy’s true living situation. Film: The Apartment Depressing Holiday: Christmas It’s sad enough to be a lonely bachelor on Christmas Eve. It’s even sadder to be loaning out your home as a lover’s hideaway on such a night. Saddest of all, though, has to be returning to said apartment to find a half-dead woman in your bed who has attempted suicide with your sleeping pills (bonus points for her being your crush). The Apartment also has one of the more depressing New Year’s Eves on film, even if it does kind of figure into a “happy” ending. Film: Lethal Weapon Depressing Holiday: Christmas Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is also a lonely man on Christmas Eve dealing with suicide, but here it’s the contemplation of his own. While watching Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol on TV and thinking about his dead wife, he loads up his gun and wrestles with his demons. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching scenes to ever be included in an action movie. Film: The War at Home Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving Like Martin Riggs, Jeremy Collier (Emilio Estevez) is a Vietnam vet, and also like Riggs, he has trouble putting his gun away during the holidays. Unlike Riggs, though, Jeremy’s weapon is directed at his father (Martin Sheen) rather than himself, and that leads to a less-depressing but no less disheartening situation. Film: A Midnight Clear Depressing Holiday: Christmas One of the most bittersweet war films ever made, A Midnight Clear is set during Christmas, 1944, in the middle of WWII and involves an intended holiday truce between American and German troops. Unfortunately, things go wrong. Not only does the film remind us currently that so many soldiers are away from home and potentially fighting on Christmas, it also displays some depressing truths about humanity and war that are saddening regardless of the season. Film: The Ice Storm Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving This movie (which could also qualify for yesterday’s list of best dysfunctional families) reminds us of how sad Thanksgiving can be on an historical level thanks to the sardonic pre-dinne grace said by Wendy (Christina Ricci) regarding both America’s tradition of killing and robbing the Indians and its gluttonous disregard for the starving people around the world (didn’t we all go through that holiday protest phase?). Oh, and it features one of the most unsettling death-by-electrocution scenes ever. Film: Gremlins Depressing Holiday: Christmas The present holiday of this horror comedy classic is pretty sad considering all the death and destruction being caused by little green monsters, but the real depressing Christmas is the one from the past that Kate (Phoebe Cates) tells about. You know, the one where her father broke his neck and died on Christmas Eve while playing Santa Claus. And by recalling the details so slowly and in depth (she could have just simply said that her dad died on Christmas), she makes it even more somber a story than is welcome at such an already fearsome occasion. Film: Critters 2: The Main Course Depressing Holiday: Easter Obviously taking a cue from Gremlins, this sequel similarly involves little creatures terrorizing a small town during a holiday. And while not quite as gloomy for a young viewer as the earlier, better film, Critters 2 does feature a relatively upsetting scene in which “the Easter Bunny” is attacked by Crites and then crashes through a church window, ultimately bleeding from the mouth, dead. Film: Groundhog Day Depressing Holiday: Groundhog Day Not that anyone really celebrates this “holiday” (neither school nor post office is closed), but whatever. Though treated as black comedy, there is something quite depressing about all those suicide attempts made by Phil Connors (Bill Murray). It’s enough to cast a shadow (yuk yuk) on all the happiness that otherwise would come from Groundhog Day if it actually involved celebratory activities. Film: Roger & Me Depressing Holiday: Christmas Documentaries have the ability to make for the most depressing holidays, because they feature real life events — like a family being evicted from their home on Christmas day. This one is especially grim this year, as it’s possible that with the economy and mortgage crisis what they are that some families across America will be experiencing such a fate this December 25. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/aidanbrack/archive/2008/8/16/34067.aspx Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 8/16/2008 8:50:08 AM
Body: In Billy Wilder's Irma La Douce, Nestor, an honest and naive cop (played by Jack Lemmon), loses his job on the force after performing an on-the-spot bust on a brothel. Down on his luck he returns to the scene of his bust where he runs into Irma (Shirley MacLaine) who, in recognition of his standing up for her, asks him to move in with him. Now Nestor's a nice guy but also a relatively conservative one so needless to say he has problems with Irma's profession. Asked to be her pimp, he is stricken with bouts of jealousy, anger and depression. After yelling at one of her patrons he devises a plan to disguise himself as a rich, elderly English Lord and asks to be her sole client. However this is just the start of his problems. Irma La Douce is a wonderful and charming romantic comedy, surprising in its use of darker elements and themes. In less capable hands than those of Wilder, Lemmon and MacLaine this could easily have sunk, yet it is hard not to adore naive Nestor and feel for his plight. Lemmon is on the top of his game here, right from his first appearance where he wanders down an avenue in the early morning and slowly deduces why the streets are filled with women. This scene could potentially undo any credibility the character has but Lemmon plays it absolutely straight-as-a-nail. He also has excellent chemistry with Shirley MacLaine, having previously starred in Wilder's The Apartment with her. Her Irma is unapologetic and candid about herself and her profession. She is not a helpless woman waiting to be rescued, she is manipulative and confident. Scenes between the two stars sparkle and they are ably supported by Lou Jacobi as the nutty, philosophical cafe owner Moustache. As the farce plays out things become more and more ludicrous yet thanks to its stars the piece (mostly) retains its credibility. However there is one scene where some prison bars are bent open that ought to have been rethought. It looks ridiculous and threatens to undermine its ending. Irma La Douce is impressive because of its audacity. Its setting and characters may well put off more conservative viewers but at its heart this is a simple love story. Sure, the characters are not the sort of people we usually see fall in love in romantic comedies and her profession is crucial to the problems they go through, yet it is easy to sympathise with Nestor and his predicament. Clocking in at over 145 minutes, Irma La Douce does well to avoid overstaying its welcome. The pace remains lively and the performances energetic throughout and in the end Wilder just about gets away with it. With a great set of central performances, funny situations and a script that contains some great gags there is a lot to admire here. Whilst it may not be widely acknowledged as a classic, this film is every bit as funny and clever as The Apartment and certainly deserves attention.
]]>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:50:08 GMTaidanbrackThe Bigger Picture8/16/2008 8:50:08 AMIn Billy Wilder's Irma La Douce, Nestor, an honest and naive cop (played by Jack Lemmon), loses his job on the force after performing an on-the-spot bust on a brothel. Down on his luck he returns to the scene of his bust where he runs into Irma (Shirley MacLaine) who, in recognition of his standing up for her, asks him to move in with him. Now Nestor's a nice guy but also a relatively conservative one so needless to say he has problems with Irma's profession. Asked to be her pimp, he is stricken with bouts of jealousy, anger and depression. After yelling at one of her patrons he devises a plan to disguise himself as a rich, elderly English Lord and asks to be her sole client. However this is just the start of his problems. Irma La Douce is a wonderful and charming romantic comedy, surprising in its use of darker elements and themes. In less capable hands than those of Wilder, Lemmon and MacLaine this could easily have sunk, yet it is hard not to adore naive Nestor and feel for his plight. Lemmon is on the top of his game here, right from his first appearance where he wanders down an avenue in the early morning and slowly deduces why the streets are filled with women. This scene could potentially undo any credibility the character has but Lemmon plays it absolutely straight-as-a-nail. He also has excellent chemistry with Shirley MacLaine, having previously starred in Wilder's The Apartment with her. Her Irma is unapologetic and candid about herself and her profession. She is not a helpless woman waiting to be rescued, she is manipulative and confident. Scenes between the two stars sparkle and they are ably supported by Lou Jacobi as the nutty, philosophical cafe owner Moustache. As the farce plays out things become more and more ludicrous yet thanks to its stars the piece (mostly) retains its credibility. However there is one scene where some prison bars are bent open that ought to have been rethought. It looks ridiculous and threatens to undermine its ending. Irma La Douce is impressive because of its audacity. Its setting and characters may well put off more conservative viewers but at its heart this is a simple love story. Sure, the characters are not the sort of people we usually see fall in love in romantic comedies and her profession is crucial to the problems they go through, yet it is easy to sympathise with Nestor and his predicament. Clocking in at over 145 minutes, Irma La Douce does well to avoid overstaying its welcome. The pace remains lively and the performances energetic throughout and in the end Wilder just about gets away with it. With a great set of central performances, funny situations and a script that contains some great gags there is a lot to admire here. Whilst it may not be widely acknowledged as a classic, this film is every bit as funny and clever as The Apartment and certainly deserves attention. http://www.spout.com/blogs/jjgittes/archive/2008/6/25/31687.aspx Post By: jjgittes
Post To: jjgittes Blog
Post Date: 6/25/2008 4:46:11 PM
Body: What can I say about THE APARTMENT that hasn't already been said? In my opinion, it is Billy Wilder's masterpiece and one of the top 50, maybe even top 40 movies of all time. It's in a whole different league amongst the majority of the films, classics or indies, that they show on Reel 13 (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK is the only one that comes close). It is an almost amazingly perfect blend of comedy and drama, equally hilarious and heart-wrenching. This is a film that contains a suicide attempt, discusses another, features depression, significant infidelity and suggested promiscuity and yet manages to be perennially charming.Cameron Crowe suggested that THE APARTMENT was a major inspiration for his film Jerry Maguire. At one point, he went to visit Billy Wilder to ask him to play a cameo in the film (the old-time agent in the opening). Though Wilder would eventually turn him down, Crowe did get to ask him about THE APARTMENT and all Wilder had to say was "Good actors. It worked". A simple analysis, granted, but it wisely gets at the heart of what elevates The Apartment to a whole different level. I mean, all the elements are strong – the production design of the titular apartment and also the interior of the office are wonderfully detailed and the screenplay, of course, is brilliantly tight and well-crafted, but that's true of a great many Billy Wilder films. For THE APARTMENT, it is the inspired pairing of Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine and their abilities to be charismatic while exuding pathos that puts THE APARTMENT over the top.I think of the scene in which Lemmon's Bud Baxter is trying to cheer up the broken-hearted Fran (MacLaine) who is embarrassed by her attempted suicide. Baxter reveals to her that he had tried it once himself years ago and relates to her the circumstances behind it in a monologue that in spite of its seriousness is delivered to be a lark of a story, almost as if a joke. In many other actor's hands, the monologue would have been morose and would have felt awkward tonally. However, Baxter's ability to laugh at his pain is not only charming, it's uplifting and due to Lemmon's conviction in his performance, it still feels honest.MacLaine also has a great deal of strong moments and in a way, her character is the more challenging one. Her pain and heartbreak over her affair with Baxter's boss (an awesomely sleazy Fred MacMurray) is palpable and she still manages to throw in a quip or two from rock bottom. Instead of this feeling off-tone, MacLaine makes it work and it only adds dimensions to her character and rounds her out more. MacLaine craftfully navigates her character's journey from in confused love with a married man to suicidal and broken-hearted to a suddenly adult woman who comes to terms with both herself and the important things in life.I could go on for days praising the individual qualities of THE APARTMENT – the pitch-perfect framing, the uber-clever dialogue ("That's the way it crumbles, cookie-wise".), the surprisingly effective bluesy score, the precise blocking of scenes, but I don't have time for all that. Instead, I'll let the maestro himself, Billy Wilder, sum things up the way he does best: simply and to the point – "Good actors. It worked".
]]>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:46:11 GMTjjgittesjjgittes Blog6/25/2008 4:46:11 PMWhat can I say about THE APARTMENT that hasn't already been said? In my opinion, it is Billy Wilder's masterpiece and one of the top 50, maybe even top 40 movies of all time. It's in a whole different league amongst the majority of the films, classics or indies, that they show on Reel 13 (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK is the only one that comes close). It is an almost amazingly perfect blend of comedy and drama, equally hilarious and heart-wrenching. This is a film that contains a suicide attempt, discusses another, features depression, significant infidelity and suggested promiscuity and yet manages to be perennially charming.Cameron Crowe suggested that THE APARTMENT was a major inspiration for his film Jerry Maguire. At one point, he went to visit Billy Wilder to ask him to play a cameo in the film (the old-time agent in the opening). Though Wilder would eventually turn him down, Crowe did get to ask him about THE APARTMENT and all Wilder had to say was "Good actors. It worked". A simple analysis, granted, but it wisely gets at the heart of what elevates The Apartment to a whole different level. I mean, all the elements are strong &ndash; the production design of the titular apartment and also the interior of the office are wonderfully detailed and the screenplay, of course, is brilliantly tight and well-crafted, but that's true of a great many Billy Wilder films. For THE APARTMENT, it is the inspired pairing of Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine and their abilities to be charismatic while exuding pathos that puts THE APARTMENT over the top.I think of the scene in which Lemmon's Bud Baxter is trying to cheer up the broken-hearted Fran (MacLaine) who is embarrassed by her attempted suicide. Baxter reveals to her that he had tried it once himself years ago and relates to her the circumstances behind it in a monologue that in spite of its seriousness is delivered to be a lark of a story, almost as if a joke. In many other actor's hands, the monologue would have been morose and would have felt awkward tonally. However, Baxter's ability to laugh at his pain is not only charming, it's uplifting and due to Lemmon's conviction in his performance, it still feels honest.MacLaine also has a great deal of strong moments and in a way, her character is the more challenging one. Her pain and heartbreak over her affair with Baxter's boss (an awesomely sleazy Fred MacMurray) is palpable and she still manages to throw in a quip or two from rock bottom. Instead of this feeling off-tone, MacLaine makes it work and it only adds dimensions to her character and rounds her out more. MacLaine craftfully navigates her character's journey from in confused love with a married man to suicidal and broken-hearted to a suddenly adult woman who comes to terms with both herself and the important things in life.I could go on for days praising the individual qualities of THE APARTMENT &ndash; the pitch-perfect framing, the uber-clever dialogue ("That's the way it crumbles, cookie-wise".), the surprisingly effective bluesy score, the precise blocking of scenes, but I don't have time for all that. Instead, I'll let the maestro himself, Billy Wilder, sum things up the way he does best: simply and to the point &ndash; "Good actors. It worked". http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_TOP_5_MOVIES_TO_TEACH_AN_ALIEN_ABOUT_EARTH/563/31543/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: chuggalug88
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 6/23/2008 10:54:19 AM
Body: 1. Dr Strangelove - it shows how loveably stupid and self-destructive we are (lesson 1 - DEATH) 2. The Apartment - it shows how stupidly loveable and self-destructive we all are (lesson 2 -SEX) 3. Fight Club - it shows how we want to be loveable yet self-destructive but also "carved outa wood" (lesson 3 - MEN) 4. Heathers - because this movie contains everything you need to know about humanity (lesson 4 - WOMEN) 5. Starman - well, because it's a movie about an alien trying to understand earth. Sort of like the "Earth for total idoits" guide. (lesson 5 - JEFF BRIDGES)
]]>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:54:19 GMTchuggalug88Filmgaming6/23/2008 10:54:19 AM1. Dr Strangelove - it shows how loveably stupid and self-destructive we are (lesson 1 - DEATH) 2. The Apartment - it shows how stupidly loveable and self-destructive we all are (lesson 2 -SEX) 3. Fight Club - it shows how we want to be loveable yet self-destructive but also "carved outa wood" (lesson 3 - MEN) 4. Heathers - because this movie contains everything you need to know about humanity (lesson 4 - WOMEN) 5. Starman - well, because it's a movie about an alien trying to understand earth. Sort of like the "Earth for total idoits" guide. (lesson 5 - JEFF BRIDGES) http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Desert_Island/598/31255/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: see_sherpa
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 6/15/2008 8:01:59 PM
Body: Most definitely The Apartment, because I could watch that one for days upon days and not get ill of it. Plus would be nice, all alone on that island, to see a little intimate human interaction. Second would be A Night at the Opera, for some music and some laughs, plus would be a fun movie to memorize when I get brutally bored. Third one is hard. I love Lawrence of Arabia, and could watch it on round easily, but I'm not sure how seeing all of that sand will affect me. So I guess I'll go with Patton. Lots of things to think about, no romance, and lots of action. That'll work: three movies I love, three different genres, hours of entertainment until I run out of food and completely lose my mind.
]]>Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:01:59 GMTsee_sherpaMovie Games6/15/2008 8:01:59 PMMost definitely The Apartment, because I could watch that one for days upon days and not get ill of it. Plus would be nice, all alone on that island, to see a little intimate human interaction. Second would be A Night at the Opera, for some music and some laughs, plus would be a fun movie to memorize when I get brutally bored. Third one is hard. I love Lawrence of Arabia, and could watch it on round easily, but I'm not sure how seeing all of that sand will affect me. So I guess I'll go with Patton. Lots of things to think about, no romance, and lots of action. That'll work: three movies I love, three different genres, hours of entertainment until I run out of food and completely lose my mind. http://www.spout.com/blogs/minerwerks/archive/2008/6/1/30277.aspx Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/1/2008 7:01:34 PM
Body: I'm sure every film fan has that long list of movies that they should see, barring those distractions of work, family and life. As a huge fan of 'The Apartment,' I know that I my list includes many of the works of legendary writer and director Billy Wilder. Just a few years ago, I noticed the stir that resulted from Criterion finally bringing Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole' to DVD when it had never been available on video at all. This skyrocketed the film near the top of that mental list, and having just gotten around to seeing it, I was not disappointed. The plot follows selfish, manipulative newspaperman Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) as he stumbles into a great "human interest" tale - roadside curio shop owner Leo Minosa (Richard Benedict) ends up trapped in a New Mexico mineshaft while searching for Indian artifacts. Leo's wife, Lorraine (Jan Sterling), initially hopes to use the incident as cover to finally leave her husband, but Tatum appeals to her greed, painting the picture of all the money that could roll in from curious tourists. After demonstrating the power of getting the story in the Albuquerque paper, Tatum also manipulates the sheriff (Ray Teal) into helping to prolong the crisis, turning the growing circus atmosphere to their advantage. From what I gather through the grapevine, the initial box office failure and the general grim tone of this film have kept it off home video for years. Now that it can widely be found, it's easy to recommend, and certainly not a surprise to those used to the diversity of modern anti-heroes and general personages of questionable morals we've seen in movies over the past couple decades. There's also no question that the themes of media manipulation and the gullibility of the public were ahead of their time in a much more innocent era (1951). As might be expected from Billy Wilder, the script of 'Ace in the Hole' is the major strength. Characterization is very solid and the plot is quite engrossing. The film also keeps itself fresh with extra details - for instance, we occasionally see the first family to stop in on the site of the accident and through them we get a view of how the media affects the general public. As a modern viewer, my biggest hurdle to enjoying films of decades far past is the acting style. Quite acceptable and even exceptional for the period, some of the scenes of 'Ace in the Hole' now appear melodramatic. As the film moves on, the performances become more grounded, and as we get much more engrossed in the plot, the distraction is minimized. Despite the distraction of some dated approaches, much of the film holds up quite well. Wilder claimed not to like fancy camera work, but there are a handful of sweeping shots in this film that likely made jaws drop back in the day. One of these follows a group of people off an arriving train as the join the assembled masses outside the mineshaft. Another follows the distraught father of Leo Minosa as he hands drinks around the workers on top of the hill who are operating a drill to get into the shaft and rescule Leo. It's amazing to see lines of cars and throngs of people in the distance from this perspective. In addition to the great film, the Criterion DVD is worth checking out for the usual bevy of bonuses. A second disc includes a Wilder interview film called 'Portrait of a 60% Perfect Man' and additional Q&A from an American Film Institute appearance in the 1980s. Listening to Wilder dismiss with distaste the contemporary system of corporate moviemaking that has been entrenched over the past two decades is priceless.
]]>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:01:34 GMTminerwerksminerwerks Blog6/1/2008 7:01:34 PMI'm sure every film fan has that long list of movies that they should see, barring those distractions of work, family and life. As a huge fan of 'The Apartment,' I know that I my list includes many of the works of legendary writer and director Billy Wilder. Just a few years ago, I noticed the stir that resulted from Criterion finally bringing Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole' to DVD when it had never been available on video at all. This skyrocketed the film near the top of that mental list, and having just gotten around to seeing it, I was not disappointed. The plot follows selfish, manipulative newspaperman Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) as he stumbles into a great "human interest" tale - roadside curio shop owner Leo Minosa (Richard Benedict) ends up trapped in a New Mexico mineshaft while searching for Indian artifacts. Leo's wife, Lorraine (Jan Sterling), initially hopes to use the incident as cover to finally leave her husband, but Tatum appeals to her greed, painting the picture of all the money that could roll in from curious tourists. After demonstrating the power of getting the story in the Albuquerque paper, Tatum also manipulates the sheriff (Ray Teal) into helping to prolong the crisis, turning the growing circus atmosphere to their advantage. From what I gather through the grapevine, the initial box office failure and the general grim tone of this film have kept it off home video for years. Now that it can widely be found, it's easy to recommend, and certainly not a surprise to those used to the diversity of modern anti-heroes and general personages of questionable morals we've seen in movies over the past couple decades. There's also no question that the themes of media manipulation and the gullibility of the public were ahead of their time in a much more innocent era (1951). As might be expected from Billy Wilder, the script of 'Ace in the Hole' is the major strength. Characterization is very solid and the plot is quite engrossing. The film also keeps itself fresh with extra details - for instance, we occasionally see the first family to stop in on the site of the accident and through them we get a view of how the media affects the general public. As a modern viewer, my biggest hurdle to enjoying films of decades far past is the acting style. Quite acceptable and even exceptional for the period, some of the scenes of 'Ace in the Hole' now appear melodramatic. As the film moves on, the performances become more grounded, and as we get much more engrossed in the plot, the distraction is minimized. Despite the distraction of some dated approaches, much of the film holds up quite well. Wilder claimed not to like fancy camera work, but there are a handful of sweeping shots in this film that likely made jaws drop back in the day. One of these follows a group of people off an arriving train as the join the assembled masses outside the mineshaft. Another follows the distraught father of Leo Minosa as he hands drinks around the workers on top of the hill who are operating a drill to get into the shaft and rescule Leo. It's amazing to see lines of cars and throngs of people in the distance from this perspective. In addition to the great film, the Criterion DVD is worth checking out for the usual bevy of bonuses. A second disc includes a Wilder interview film called 'Portrait of a 60% Perfect Man' and additional Q&amp;A from an American Film Institute appearance in the 1980s. Listening to Wilder dismiss with distaste the contemporary system of corporate moviemaking that has been entrenched over the past two decades is priceless. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/romance/MemberTagFilms.aspxromance
Number of films tagged: 7163

Number of people who tagged: 169

Number of times used: 1005

]]>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:16:35 GMT71631691005Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sweet/MemberTagFilms.aspxsweet
Number of films tagged: 108

Number of people who tagged: 90

Number of times used: 170

]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:28:46 GMT10890170Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/lovetriangle/MemberTagFilms.aspxlovetriangle
Number of films tagged: 2902

Number of people who tagged: 38

Number of times used: 75

]]>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:12:01 GMT29023875Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Picture/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Picture
Number of films tagged: 83

Number of people who tagged: 26

Number of times used: 118

]]>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:16:34 GMT8326118Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/girlfriend/MemberTagFilms.aspxgirlfriend
Number of films tagged: 1237

Number of people who tagged: 19

Number of times used: 55

]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:13:22 GMT12371955Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/extramaritalaffair/MemberTagFilms.aspxextramaritalaffair
Number of films tagged: 3121

Number of people who tagged: 18

Number of times used: 31

]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:13:22 GMT31211831Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/apartment/MemberTagFilms.aspxapartment
Number of films tagged: 567

Number of people who tagged: 17

Number of times used: 29

]]>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:52:27 GMT5671729Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/bachelor/MemberTagFilms.aspxbachelor
Number of films tagged: 685

Number of people who tagged: 13

Number of times used: 29

]]>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:07:18 GMT6851329Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Director/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Director
Number of films tagged: 39

Number of people who tagged: 8

Number of times used: 47

]]>Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:53:34 GMT39847Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Editing/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Editing
Number of films tagged: 26

Number of people who tagged: 5

Number of times used: 32

]]>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:16:58 GMT26532Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Original-Screenplay/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Original-Screenplay
Number of films tagged: 15

Number of people who tagged: 5

Number of times used: 19

]]>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:31:55 GMT15519Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Best-Art-Direction/MemberTagFilms.aspxBest-Art-Direction
Number of films tagged: 18

Number of people who tagged: 2

Number of times used: 21

]]>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:16:58 GMT18221Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/billywilder/MemberTagFilms.aspxbillywilder
Number of films tagged: 3

Number of people who tagged: 2

Number of times used: 3

]]>Sat, 10 Mar 2007 05:25:28 GMT323Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/corporateladder/MemberTagFilms.aspxcorporateladder
Number of films tagged: 32

Number of people who tagged: 2

Number of times used: 2

]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT3222Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/suicideattempt/MemberTagFilms.aspxsuicideattempt
Number of films tagged: 391

Number of people who tagged: 2

Number of times used: 3

]]>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:02:15 GMT39123Tag