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Amazon.co.uk Review
Romance at its most anti-romantic--that is the Billy Wilder stamp of genius, and this Best Picture Academy Award winner from 1960 is no exception. Set in a decidedly unsavoury world of corporate climbing and philandering, the great filmmaker's trenchant, witty satire-melodrama takes the office politics of a corporation and plays them out in the apartment of lonely clerk CC Baxter (Jack Lemmon). By lending out his digs to the higher-ups for nightly extramarital flings with their secretaries, Baxter has managed to ascend the business ladder faster than even he imagined. The story turns even uglier, though, when Baxter's crush on the building's melancholy elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine) runs up against her long-standing affair with the big boss (a superbly smarmy Fred MacMurray). The situation comes to a head when she tries to commit suicide in Baxter's apartment. Not the happiest or cleanest of scenarios, and one that earned the famously caustic and cynically humoured Wilder his share of outraged responses, but looking at it now, it is a funny, startlingly clear-eyed vision of urban emptiness and is unfailingly understanding of the crazy decisions our hearts sometimes make. Lemmon and MacLaine are ideally matched and while everyone cites Wilder's Some Like It Hot closing line "Nobody's perfect" as his best, MacLaine's no-nonsense final words--"Shut up and deal"--are every bit as memorable. Wilder won three Oscars for The Apartment, for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (cowritten with long-time collaborator I A L Diamond). --Robert Abele

DVD Description
Billy Wilder embraces both sentiment and cynicism in this superb comedy-drama, set in New York City, that chronicles the trials of a young ambitious insurance clerk

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Some Like It Hot - Special Edition [1959] DVD ~ Marilyn Monroe  (39)  £4.98

Odd Couple [1967] DVD ~ Jack Lemmon  (8)  £5.97

Irma La Douce [1963] DVD ~ Jack Lemmon  (2)  £6.97

The Fortune Cookie [1967] DVD ~ Jack Lemmon  (2)  £4.97

All About Eve [1950]  (5)  £5.97

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15 Reviews 5 star:  (13) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (15 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   12 of 12 people found the following review helpful: "I love you, Miss Kubelik.", 9 Oct 2006 By  Kona (Derbyshire) - See all my reviews       Buddy Baxter (Jack Lemmon) is a meek and mild nobody in a big company who has an "arrangement" with his superiors: They can use his apartment to entertain their ladyfriends in exchange for recommendations for his promotion. The deal works out fine, until he discovers that his big boss (Fred MacMurray)'s girlfriend is the object of his own affection, elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine). It's a quiet, character-driven comedy about shady dealings in the world of big business, with just enough touching dramatic scenes to tug at your heart. "The Apartment" won the 1960 Best Picture Oscar, thanks to the excellent cast and honest script. Nobody played the Everyman character as well as Lemmon. He's involved in an unsavory situation, but is so sweet, likeable, and noble that you really care about him. MacLaine gives an uncharacteristically subdued and thoughtful performance, and MacMurray is perfect as her philandering paramour. The beautiful title tune is one of the loveliest movie love themes ever. The subject matter was considered somewhat racy back then, but now it would probably be rated PG today. Clever, sweet, and entertaining movie.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   6 of 8 people found the following review helpful: Truly Sublime, 12 May 2006 By  E. Currie - See all my reviews    This is a story of exploitation and cynicism and one man's ultimate refusal to play that game. Billy Wilder has never been so perceptive or thought-provoking as in this study of selfishness and ego. The plot surrounds a young aspiring insurance executive and his initial enthusiasm to use and be used in order to further his career. Gradually we see the cold, soulless New York inhabited by such racing rats, warmed and illuminated as two human beings begin to think and feel for themselves, then for each other. The cold, calculating, what's-in-it-for-me world is replaced by something more meaningful, more enduring and ultimately more powerful. Vintage Wilder this, with tremendous acting performances from Lemmon and Maclaine. Fred McMurray is also excellent as the predatory boss but the real star is the writing of Billy Wilder. His wit and barb are glorious and make this commentary on 1950s mores, interesting and entertaining. Wilder was light years ahead of his time and it was never more obvious than in this delightful film.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: My favourite Billy Wilder Film!!!, 21 April 2004 By  unknown - See all my reviews To be honest, I am not a fan of Jack Lemmon. But in this film he isabsolutely marvellous! Lemmon is the efficient and rather stuffy clerk CCBaxter who rises to ever higher positions in his company, because he lendshis apartment to all his bosses for their several flings! Too bad that itis winter and horribly cold outside in the park ... And then one day CCfalls in love. Fran seems such a nice, respectable girl. Butunfortunately, CC is not really the man a girl would have her eye on,marriage-wise. He is awkward and, well, he uses his tennis racket as aspaghetti strainer. In short, he is not the man cute little Fran couldfall madly in love with. And she happens to know his apartment very well... As always Billy Wilder looks at the world with a cynical eye. And you haveto laugh and at the same time you have to admit, that he is soo horriblyright about us all ...  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) › See all 15 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews A Classic 1960s Love-Tangle Comedy-Drama This is a classic film from the 1960s which deservedly won 5 Oscars (including Best Picture, Director and Screenplay ALL for Billy Wilder). Read more Published 2 months ago by Mr. Laurence Williams Wilder Comic Genius The comic genius of Billy Wilder was never better illustrated than by this bitter sweet romantic comedy. Read more Published 8 months ago by PJC