The Film
Gosh, I miss Jack Lemmon. He was an absolute genius on screen. While he didn't have the same pretty-boy looks of his peers, the guy oozed talent and charisma. Director Billy Wilder apparently thought so too, and enlisted Lemmon to star in The Apartment.
The Apartment was the duo's follow-up to another classic, Some Like It Hot. Both films use Lemmon's comedic talents as an advantage, but this one is much more serious. Yeah, a suicide attempt typically brings down the funny in a film.
However, it doesn't make The Apartment any less of a great movie. In fact, the mix of comedy and drama may actually make this one better -- and The Apartment has the Best Picture Oscar to prove it. It has a few others as well, and both Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine were also nominated for their performances.
Lemmon stars as C.C. Baxter, a schlub that's just another face at his insurance company. Being a hard worker isn't what gets him ahead in life. Instead, it's all about location, location, location. Apparently, Lemmon has a great apartment, which is both convenient and has great cheese crackers, making it the perfect place for married executives to take girlfriends. Of course, being left out in the rain (literally) and asked to leave at all hours starts to wear on Baxter. However, inconvenience pales in comparison to the heartbreak of finding out that Baxter's work crush (MacLaine) is the mistress of his boss (Fred McMurray).
The booze, the womanizing, the cool bowler hats; fans of Mad Men will see a lot of similarities in The Apartment. Hats aside, this film was very controversial for its day. Thankfully, it's still entertaining for the present. Mad Men fan or not, The Apartment is well worth visiting.
The Picture
The Apartment opens up with a few flickers. From there, this 2.35:1 transfer is absolutely wonderful. The black-and-white image is bold, but also very clean. Blacks are stunning, but the detail is what is most impressive here. Some of the textured clothing, the hallway walls, and facial details could not be better.
The Sound
MGM has tacked a DTS-HD Master Audio track onto this new release. That said, you probably won't notice it all that much. All of the action seems to stick close to the front. The score does manage to peek through the surrounds, but it's pretty fleeting. That said, viewers will be very pleased with what's presented here.
The Extras
MGM has a track record of releasing classic films with a slim selection of extras. It's nice to see that the streak has been broken with The Apartment. Besides the film's theatrical trailer, this release includes an audio commentary with film historian Bruce Block and two featurettes. "Inside The Apartment" mainly focuses on director Billy Wilder, as well as the controversy surrounding the movie. At just under 30 minutes, this is a great addition to a great release. "Magic Time - The Art of Jack Lemmon" is another must-see, with Chris Lemmon reviewing the life and work of his father.
Final Thoughts
The Apartment isn't just classic Billy Wilder or Jack Lemmon. It's a classic. Period. If you're even a tiny bit of a fan of anyone in this film, it's a must-own. MGM has done a wonderful job bringing this film to Blu-ray, with extras that are icing on the cake.
Product Details
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