$100 in 1960 - The Apartment (1960) Discussion

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 12 years ago

Hence why she said $100 wasn't cheap. I did think that lacked subtlety, though: a smooth-talking heel with his experience schmoozing the ladies would presumably know better than to so blatantly make her feel like a prostitute.

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[–] pc-daisy 12 years ago

He wouldn't even think about it from her perspective, just his own. That was guilt money.

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[–] hammer4 10 years ago

Good point about the $100. He could have made it a $100 gift certificate for an upscale store. Not nearly as tacky.

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[–] capablecarl 9 years ago

A Visa Gift Card would have been the most thoughtful. She could have shopped online for something nice, and had FedEx drop it off so it would be waiting for her when she got home.

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[–] snelling 9 years ago

She could have accessed the Internet with her cell phone and bought a Stephen King book or a few jump drives.

"I will not go down in history as the greatest mass-murderer since Adolf Hitler!" - Merkin Muffley

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[–] johnnytourettes 11 years ago

Didn't Jack Lemmon's character state he made $92 a week at the start. So it was over a week's wages for him and I imagine more than that for her.

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[–] movies789 11 years ago

Yes, as an elevator operator in '59 - even in NYC - she'd be lucky to have made $40 a week.

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[–] bradford-1 11 years ago

And of course a female elevator operator would've been paid less than her male equivalent.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"

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[–] Strazdamonas 8 years ago

No, she wouldnt. That is a pointless argument to make, because if you could pay women less, then why hire men at all, women are cheaper for same labour. And yet that was not the case.

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[–] dialixii 10 years ago

When he gave it to her he cemented the title of "King of all douchebags". It's sad to think guys are really like this, then and now.

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[–] FrameXFrame 10 years ago

An interesting point: Sheldrake gives her the $100 after saying he didn't have time to shop for a present, then, on leaving, picks up a couple of large wrapped presents (for his kids or wife). Of course, he might not have personally got those presents--executives send out their secretaries on such errands.

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[–] mdonln 10 years ago

I love it! Your comment made me laugh; much better than the line that was actually in the movie. Saying he had no time to shop as he walks out carrying all the other packages for his family - that would’ve been great.

What he actually says is he didn't know what to get her and it had been awkward shopping. Giving her the $100 was in response to her giving him the record as a gift. He hadn't planned to give her anything. She obviously means nothing to him at all but handing her the money is like turning the knife in the wound; making it worse.

The amazing thing is she still says she loves him after this and goes right back to him later. How someone can love a person who treats them so badly is beyond me. I’m not referring to the lack of a gift. It’s their entire relationship. I don't have any sympathy for her though because she’s brought all this on to herself. They both know the deal but at least he's not claiming to be 'in love.'

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[–] stevekaczynski 9 years ago

The complexities of the human race. Like Anna in The Third Man still loving Harry Lime even after learning everything about him.

"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."

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[–] stevekaczynski 9 years ago

LA Confidential is set some few years earlier, and notice how Sid Hudgens gives out $50 for information useful to his sleazy articles. That would have been roughly a month's pay for a combat GI in WW2.

"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."

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[–] landrynumbertwo 9 years ago

What's really crazy is Baxter's apartment near Central Park costing only 84$ a month in rent. Inflation does not make up for this. In 2016 dollars, this is the equivalent of $684.44.

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[–] movieghoul 9 years ago

Inflation doesn't work at the same rate for everything. Trust me, that $84 was realistic for the time.

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