When I first saw this movie I thought I liked it, but I watched it again and it was boring. The story was nothing special and I didn't find any humor. It seems very dated. I seem to find a lot of Billy Wilder's movies dated except Sunset Blvd and Double Indemnity.
It's a good film but Psycho should've taken the Oscar that year. This film follows the convention of a girl with the wrong man, ends up with the right guy formula seen so many times. this snub is what made me have no confidence in the Academy.
shareI actually find Wilder's Some Like it Hot to have the dated humour. It's a good film, but overrated by today's standards, and some of the jokes show the age of the film. The humour in The Apartment isnt really dated at all, but it's not exactly a LOL film anyway.
The Apartment's beauty is in it's love triangle, just like with Wilder's Sabrina. The funny everyman Jack Lemmon tips the scales towards The Apartment in this comparison. Plus I find the character of Shirley Maclaine (and Hepburn's Sabrina) more interesting than Marilyn Monroe.
actually find Wilder's Some Like it Hot to have the dated humour. It's a good film, but overrated by today's standards, and some of the jokes show the age of the film
nobodys perfect
There is not just one type of comedy. If we think of situational/slapstick as one end of the spectrum and dark or serious comedy on the other, this film is definitely a dark comedy. Comedy is not strictly about making us laugh hysterically from absurd situations, but primarily about showing the foibles and defects in human character. So this film is not built on silly situations and big mixups, rather it is built upon painting silly characters and making a harsh and biting commentary on American society. The film is all about corruption - both in marriage and business. Baxter and Kubelik are decent and likeable people, but the insurance company they work at is a cesspool that is dragging them into the ugly corruption. Baxter goes along with it and uses it to his advantage until his basic decency causes him to reject the place in disgust. That's the social commentary, but it is done by portraying most of the characters as ridiculous rather than serious.
Do I think this film is funny? Extremely! Even though I have seen it probably two dozen times in my life, it still makes me laugh. The scene where Jack Lemmon finds Shirley McClaine in his bed, having taken sleeping pills, then has to get the doctor and kick Edie Adams out is one of the funniest things I've ever seen, and that despite the fact that it was a very unfunny situation. Also alot of the characters are extremely funny - Edie Adams, the doctor's wife, all the executives who use his apartment. They are silly people, and what is funny about them is more subtle, but it is funny nonetheless.
One more thing - I absolutely adore Jack Lemmon, so he alone makes this film worth watching.
This showed at our cinema last night and I went along having not seen it for some 30 years, when I saw it for the first time. I enjoyed it last time I saw it, however I enjoyed it far more this time around.
This is not slapstick humour, and in many parts is very dark. Lemmon was a superb actor, MacLaine is excellent and MacMurray, although a last minute replacement is terrific.
the rest of the supporting cast, are in some way stereotypes, and make the film better for that.
'I could've went into the navy...Dialbo'
I agree that it's not a "comedy" (which I was expecting). It was much darker than I had expected. It seemed timeless to me, and I enjoyed it a lot. I was never a big Jack Lemmon fan but I thought his performance was great. I just felt sorry for Shirley MacLaine's character...so cute, and sweet, but she let herself be used so terribly.
shareI agree with some that this movie might be better appreciated when you have a little life experience. It's also very interesting to me to see what a typical office set up was like in 1960--the machines, rows of desks, etc. You can consider it a period piece just as much as something by Merchant/Ivory.
Also shows the office mores of the time--drinking, smoking, fooling around, having mistresses being pretty accepted. Mad Men has nothing on The Apartment in that regard. So no, it isn't slow or boring.
The idea of making a sort-of comedy with the main character attempting suicide a few minutes into the movie? Where have you seen that before? And the thought that the unattainable hot girl ends up with the office dweeb? The shock on Lemmon's face when he sees the broken mirror and realizes that Shirley M is the boss's girlfriend? Heartbreaking. The interplay with the doctor next door? The sadness of the unhappy husbands, the girl he meets at the bar...
There's so much to appreciate here. I can't see how it could ever be boring.
It is boring!! really I agree with the OP.
and I dont think it has anything to do with the age of the viewer, or the age of the film. All things consideres, you can sit back and just appreciate if you find the movie boring or not. In this case, I found myself trying to figure out where was the comedy...just felt like a romance film, similar to those you have today that would had someone like Owen Wilson in the main role...