Review of The Apartment (1960) by Chris M — 06 Jan 2013

Like the title location is to the plot, this recipient of the Best Picture Oscar for 1960 is sadly somewhat overrated, but it's still an acting study that's also ballsy enough to be considered a classic.

Good ol' reliable Jack Lemmon almost suffocates his character with a zany wildfire that seems more suitable for the stage than on camera, that is until you notice how simply real his other more subtle traits are (like his sickly snorts,.

.. and sad, shifting eyes as he hides his razors), allowing his undisputed talent to shine through some unfortunately peppered overacting. Even more impressive was Shirley MacLaine who, clearer than Lemmon, comprehends that one's face and posture at the workplace are usually pleasant covers for darker inner thoughts, and when MacLaine gets her chances to let those depressed lovetorn emotions fly (mostly toward the deliciously devilish Fred MacMurray), it's nothing short of stunning.

The film currently serves as an excellent study of a time before sexual harassment lawsuits, when "quid-pro-quo" rampantly flowed through the underbelly sewers of business firms. The Apartment is definitely brave for this underlining of remarkably relevant despicable behavior and serves as a testament to how swift justice can be in this country (I imagine in a remake, the eavesdropping receptionist originally played by Edie Adams could have more satisfactory revenge over her firing with a judge and jury).

It's just a shame a majority of the pacing (except when the medical emergency twist occurs) feels a millisecond too slow; even some of the actors (even Lemmon a few times) seem to quietly yearn for faster exchanges from the screenplay.

The Apartment does a modest job of appealing to all crowds considering the revolutionary social commentary it carries with it, but it's only major blemish is the overall feeling that it's trying to appeal to all crowds, unlike two other films from 1960 that weren't even nominated for Best Picture: Inherit the Wind and Psycho.

If they had, the Oscar race would have been much tighter.