I watched the
Billy Wilder film The Apartment for the first time tonight.
I’ve loved Jack
Lemmon in everything I’ve seen him in, and this was no exception. He brings warmth to every character he plays and is always in complete control of
his performance. He makes being awkward look strangely effortless,
often throwing in little bits of subtle comedy business that seem an
accident at first glance.
I find it strange
that I haven’t watched many Shirley MacLaine films, despite her being such a
well-known name. Like Lemmon, she brings lots of warmth and sweetness to her
character; though I was sure she’d see that MacMurray’s selfish Mr
Sheldrake wasn't worth it by the end, the outside chance that she
wouldn’t was a worry. Then I remembered which two actors were pictured
skipping into to distance hand in hand on the poster and
realised I had no cause for concern. It would be too miserable an outcome if
they didn’t work things out.
Like that other Wilder favourite, Some Like it Hot, the script is tightly written with not a word out
of place. The cinematography is lovely and the turn-of-the-Sixties style has
lots of class. I wish people still dressed like that now, damn it. Sod it:
tomorrow, I’m buying a bowler hat.