This movie makes you wonder about the central characters. Are they motivated to a central goal?That would be moving up in status. Are they just naive? It would require an in depth analysis of this film. That would probably give a divided opinion.
C. C. Baxter, (Jack Lemmon) is a middle of the road accountant, working for a large New York City insurance firm. He has decided he can achieve his goals through a different path. It is by lending out his apartment to the executives for their sexual encounters. This attempt to curry favor and move up the ladder has major disadvantages. His neighbor, Dr. Dreyfuss, (Jack Kruschen) and his landlady, think he’s a Romeo. He is also inconvenienced because of the bosses lusts. They give him short notice. One such encounter leaves Baxter shivering in Central Park.
C.C. Baxter’s reasoning changes when he falls for Fran Kubelik, (Shirley MacLaine). She is the elevator operator for the bldg. He manages to get a date with her. He gets tickets for The Music Man. These tickets were given to him by Jeff D. Sheldrake. He is the head of personnel. Sheldrake knows about the apartment. He asks Baxter in a roundabout way for his key. Baxter tells Fran to meet him at the theater. She doesn’t show for their date.
There is a reason for Baxter being stood up by Fran. She met Sheldrake for dinner. They were having an affair, but he ended it. He manages to convince her to come back to the apartment. Baxter finds out from Sheldrake’s secretary and former lover, Miss Olsen, (Edie Adams). This is told to him at the office Christmas party. He is heartbroken and tries to go forward.
Fran is under the impression that she can have a life with Sheldrake. He explains the facts of life to her. This breaks her heart. Baxter trying to get over his heartbreak, goes to a bar. It is such a dive, that even Santa Claus is drunk. Ironically Santa is played by Hal Smith. He would play Otis the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show. Baxter manages to pickup a woman, Mrs. Margie MacDougall, (Hope Holiday). They go to Baxter’s apartment. He discovers an unconscious Fran Kubilek. She has taken Baxter’s sleeping pills. He gets Dr. Dreyfuss, to revive her. After Fran is revived, they spend a few day together. This togetherness is cut short when Fran’s brother-in-law, finds out. He thinks Baxter is a cad, and hits him, getting Fran to reluctantly go with him.
C.C. Baxter is unhappy at Fran’s sudden departure. He is still in love with her. She is confused and answers the call of a now separated Sheldrake. This has occurred due to a meeting at lunch between Miss Olsen and Mrs. Sheldrake. Miss Kubelik goes to meet the duplicitous Sheldrake on New Year’s Eve. It is up to her to decide what life is better for her.
Billy Wilder was able to craft good stories, many involving multilayered characters. This is a script that is a little different. Its story has characters in need of morality. The good thing is that it comes the hard way. Wilder was able to take middle class Americans and morally challenge them. He succeeded in this very well with The Seven Year Itch. It effectively made Marilyn Monroe’s image. Wilder made Shirley MacLaine a star with this movie. He has made images that stand out to the audience. C.C. Baxter standing alone at the theater entrance, shows his isolation and loneliness. The office party gives the impression that work has stopped for the day. The desks are vacant, and the typewriters are covered. There is dancing on the desks and plenty of liquor. Everyone is happy for the moment. He shot the party during the Christmas season, so everyone would have holiday cheer. A contrast are the scenes in the Chinese restaurant, with Kubelik and Sheldrake. These have dim lighting and highlight their secret affair. It could be said that Wilder invented the modern comedy. He had actors in this film who can handle that genre very well.
A strong supporting cast goes a long way to help a movie. Ray Walston is good as sleazy executive Joe Dobisch. He calls Baxter Buddy Boy, showing his disrespect for him. Jack Kruschen was nominated for an academy award. Edie Adams does well as the vindictive secretary. She was a Tony award winning actress and worked well with her late husband: the comedian and television star, Ernie Kovacs.
The interesting thing about The Apartment is the setting. The main theme is adultery. The setting is the Christmas season. This is not a typical holiday film. You don’t get the joy of White Christmas. There is mainly unhappiness throughout the movie. It does bring a message that actions have consequences. Some are good most are bad. It shows corporate executives with no feeling. The lower level employees are the ones who make the movie. This film won’t make you get family to gather around and watch it. The message it sends will resonate. That is that love will find a way.