The Apartment

An endearing, in many ways timeless film about a hard-pressed apartment that deservedly belongs to the hall of fame. The amazing character of Jack Lemmon, trapped in the snares of his job and head over heels in love with his supervisor's girlfriend, is amazing. Also amazing is Wilder's direction steeped in classic romance, witty, original but not too cloying – whether we are talking about the unique depiction of the American civil service as a stereotypical prison, where bigwigs with a name tag on their door bring their girlfriends to their apartments according to schedule, or the ending of the romantic plot, which, by today's standards, will certainly surprise everyone. However, I'm reluctant to give it a fifth star, after all, I have given this rating to many films (even romantic ones) that I simply enjoyed a lot more. When I become a professional nitpicker one day, the star promotion will surely not miss The Apartment :-) 85% (27/09/2013)

I never wanted to go into The Apartment. The late Wilder stars like Lemmon or MacLaine (here representing a new type of beauty - after all, she is a star in the Audrey Hepburn era, right?) are never attractive on their own, but they need proper guidance, more than anyone else. The story has a certain charm, but its essence is brash and cruel at the same time, so the finale is highly questionable. But all this, managed by Wilder with considerable experience, has a certain level and now and then it is good to accept such experiences. Not to rest on our laurels, right? (25/01/2017)

I think this is one of those films that is perfect in every way. The perfect blend of romance, humor and drama, the perfect interplay of the central couple (even though they are both so different), the perfect Christmas atmosphere, plenty of memorable moments and especially the pleasant unpredictability of whether it will turn out well or not. After the closing credits, I had to see for myself that The Apartment really lasted two hours. I went by so fast. (01/02/2014)

It’s well made, discreet, charming, and soaked in the nostalgia of black and white times. In addition, the film has the excellent central pairing of Lemmon-MacLaine, between whom things spark even without the red-book outbursts and overly cheap gestures. I don't know why, but I had the feeling that Wilder was making a visionary mockery of contemporary love comedies... (28/02/2007)

This film is evidence of the outstanding level of comedic production by American studios in the early 60s. It was a great opportunity for Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. A conversation film that will bring you joy even after several viewings. Overall impression: 90%. (21/01/2009)