Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)


The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
Rating: 7.0

I have enjoyed every film I've seen directed by Billy Wilder, and many people consider The Apartment to be one of his better if not his best film, so coming into this I had pretty high expectations. The film is formally and technically a great achievement, from the editing, sound, to the art direction, blocking, framing, etc. Jack Lemmon is excellent in his role and Shirley MacLaine is adorable. Unfortunately the story felt like something I've seen hundreds of times in romantic comedies and sitcom television, chalked full of stereotypical characters and familiar genre devices. Wilder brings a few tinges of darkness as usual with a suicide attempt and excessive infidelity, but nothing stood out enough for me to consider it great.

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