‘The Apartment’: Why this 1960 film about adultery is a comedy icon today
ToI's movie maven and deputy editor agree to disagree about the Billy Wilder film that had Chris Rock raving in a recent interview
Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
This week’s featured Schmooze film is “The Apartment,” a 1960 iconic work of dark comedy by famed filmmaker Billy Wilder.
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Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray, the film takes us to the massive offices of an insurance conglomerate where Lemmon is attempting to climb the corporate ladder. A bit of a “shnook,” he finds himself lending out his Upper West Side apartment to a group of four adulterous bosses for their flings.
At the same time, a quiet, amiable connection is made between Lemmon and MacLaine, an elevator girl, who, it turns out, is also one of the bosses’ girls.
The movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five Oscars. Its resonance lingers and comedian Chris Rock recently gave it a nod in a lengthy The New York Times interview.
Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.