The Apartment: A Real-life Story

It's a gloriously rainy day here in Los Angeles today, the perfect weather to stay at home and enjoy a good movie...or at least write about one.  Today's movie of discussion - Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" (1960) starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.  This gem of a movie by Wilder and his writing partner I.A.L. Diamond was the follow-up to their enormously successful hit "Some Like It Hot."  There was a lot of pressure on them to make something equally as good...and they succeeded.

"The Apartment" tells the story of Lemmon's character C.C. Baxter ("C for Calvin, C for Clifford") and his inventive way of rising to the top in the corporate world.  He lends his apartment out to executives in his office so that they can have a secret, secure place to go for their adulterous affairs.  Except for the occasional lack of sleep, everything is fine until the girl he longs for (MacLaine) ends up being one of those mistresses.  When she takes an overdose of sleeping pills while in his apartment, everything becomes more complicated, yet clearer for Baxter.

This is my favorite Billy Wilder film.  I love "Some Like It Hot" as well, but there's something about "The Apartment" that warms my heart unlike the other.  There is no way to classify this film.  It's a comedy, drama, wonderful love story, and sad satire of our world all at the same time.  Wilder and Diamond managed to create one of the most well-written scripts out there with this film.  To cross genres so smoothly and yet keep the strength and heart of the story consistent throughout is a amazing feat.  Basically, they wrote real life.

Wilder got the idea for this movie back in 1945 after seeing the film "Brief Encounter." He kept thinking about the unseen guy who kept lending out his apartment to the leads for their affair.  But due to film censorship, he wasn't able to get it made until 1960.  Yet even then the adulterous theme was controversial.  That didn't seem to matter though come Oscar season.  "The Apartment" was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won 5 of them, including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and the ultimate win, Best Picture of the Year.  This film ended up being the last completely black and white film to win a Best Picture Oscar as well, with "Schindler's List" in 1993 being the closest to break that record.  ("Schindler's List" is not completely black and white though.)

Two of the Oscar nominations were for Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, and it's their talent and chemistry that make this film feel so real.  Lemmon is a favorite for me because he has a great talent of being every man.  There's nothing about him in looks and movement that make him stand out, which works for his roles.  He is always able to blend into his characters yet retain what makes him lovable.  Shirley MacLaine is also a favorite of mine, because she is always a joy to watch.  There is something about her that is innately light and natural, even when she's serious.  Click here to view a scene of their chemistry.

Wilder worked hard to make this film as real as possible, including giving his actors only a few pages of the script at a time, so they wouldn't know the ending, as well as changing scenes a little here and there to fit the actors' real personalities themselves.  Of course sometimes that wasn't always true to form.  Fred MacMurray, who played the cold-hearted scoundrel who breaks MacLaine's heart, used to tell a story about the aftereffects of this film.  He once had a woman come up to him and hit him with her purse, calling him a horrible adulterer after this movie premiered, which was completely against his personality.

So if you're in the mood for a good story that rings true even today, rent "The Apartment" now (or click here) and enjoy one of the strongest gems in Hollywood's film vaults...opinion-wise, that is.

(Post-tidbit:  This screenplay was later adapted into a Broadway musical by Neil Simon and Burt Bacharach, called "Promises, Promises."  Bacharach's hit song "What Do You Get When You Fall in Love?" is from this play.)

For the Weekend: A Little Mystery

There's nothing like a good puzzle so I have a few mystery suggestions for you this weekend.

First off is "Murder, She Said" (1961) starring Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in this adaptation of the author's book 4.50 from Paddington.  As you might notice, this movie inspired the title for the television show "Murder, She Wrote."  Also, you get to enjoy watching an earlier version of Angela Landsbury's character on that show, Jessica Fletcher, who was supposedly based on Miss Marple and Agatha Christie herself.  Though Christie wasn't happy with this movie's interpretation of her book and character, she still dedicated her book The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side to Rutherford, who played Miss Marple in 3 more movies after this.  You can catch "Murder, She Said" on TCM, Saturday, 1/16 at 8:30 am EST.

For something more modern, try "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" starring Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer.  In the style of Raymond Chandler, this romping mystery was a critical darling in 2005.  It was also the directorial debut of Shane Black, writer of "Lethal Weapon 1 & 2".  This is on AMC, Sunday, 1/17 at 3:00 am E/P.  Though it will most likely be edited for content, it's still a great jump-around mystery to watch, as well as Downey Jr. at the start of his "comeback."

Finally, if you just want to watch something simple and retro, check out "Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear" starring the king of 90s slapstick Leslie Nielson on hulu.com.  You'll definitely have flashbacks of days gone by as you watch this very 90s-style comedy, including watching OJ Simpson act.

So, I hope this adds a little fun and suspense to your weekend. And as the tagline to "Naked Gun" says, "If you only see one movie this year...you ought to get out more."

(Post-tidbit:  Before playing Jessica Fletcher, Angela Landsbury played Miss Marple herself once in the movie "The Mirror Crack'd", based on the book dedicated to Rutherford.)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: The Ultimate Buddies

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another glorious Monday (ugh).  Why must they keep coming around?  Well, at least we have another great movie to talk about - "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" from 1969, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

This movie tells the story of the friendship between two famous outlaws, Cassidy (Newman) and Sundance (Redford).  Directed seamlessly by George Roy Hill, written wonderfully by William Goldman, and shot beautifully by Conrad L. Hall, this is one of the best westerns out there.  It has even appeared on 6 of AFI's Top 10 Movie lists!

I know what you're thinking, "Wait, you're a girl! Why would you love this movie?"  Well, like I said, put a good story in front of me, no matter the genre, and I will soak it up.  And this is definitely that.  But I also have the influence of my dad and brother to thank for my excellent range of film taste.  Both of them introduced me to so many great movies when I was young and impressionable, that I think that's one of the main reasons why I can pinpoint a good movie experience.  For "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", it was my dad mainly.  He loves to quote lines from his favorite films, and this movie contains one of the best - "Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?"  Just thinking about him saying it makes me giggle.  And to me, it's the little things that make films great.  So to you two, I thank you.

Now, to the movie watching experience itself, oh what a joy the first time I saw it!  I can't be exactly sure, but I think this was the first time I ever saw Paul Newman act.  If anything, it was definitely the first time I truly noticed him...and I was forever hooked by him.  He had a style that seemed so smooth and natural, so elegant, and yet just like everyone else.  When he died, I was solemnly quiet for a week, because not only had we lost one of the best actors ever, we also lost one of the most decent human beings in the world too.

Newman's chemistry with Redford is also amazing to watch.  Definitely considered one of the quintessential "buddy" movies ever, it was the beginning of some wonderful relationships.  Not only did we get to see Newman, Redford, and director George Roy Hill together again in "The Sting" (which I will be talking about more later), Hill worked with Newman again on "Slap Shot" and Redford with Hill on "The Great Waldo Pepper" (also written by William Goldman).

I love how many great lines are throughout "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" too.  Goldman wrote some great stuff, like "you just keep thinkin', Butch. That's what you're good at" and "boy, I got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals."  But it's also the excellent spot-on execution of the lines by Redford and Newman.  They don't say them as if they're profound or corny.  They are just words, words that these guys would have said casually.  These are some of the wonderful acting lessons that come from this movie as well.  (Click here and here to see some of these scenes.)

This was also the start of the anti-hero movement in movies.  I mean, we're cheering on the bad guys here.  This was a true sign of the times though.  Right in the middle of the Vietnam War, America was anti-establishment, anti-government, anti-rules.  Our heroes fighting against the establishment hit a chord with audiences that hasn't let go yet.

So, if you're in the mood for a little bit of the west, some anti-regulations, and one of the first true bro-mances on film, check this movie out.  You won't be sorry.

(Post-tidbit: Paul Newman did all his own bicycle stunts during the "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head" music montage, except for the crash into the fence, which was performed by the cinematographer Conrad L. Hall...all because Newman's stunt man couldn't stay up on the bike.)

Weekend Suggestions: Happy Birthday, Elvis

In case you're in the mood for some more Celluloid Girl over the weekend, I decided to start Suggestion Fridays.  Each week, before the weekend starts, I'll give you a few ideas of things to watch on TV or such, to wet your movie whistle. So today, we honor Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Today would have been Elvis' 75th birthday.  And TCM is celebrating all day today with an Elvis marathon.  Sure, most of his movies have the same plot - boy needs money for boat, race, whatever, but falls for the girl, causing distraction and light-hearted chaos to ensue, with a bit of spontaneous singing thrown in here and there.  But each is still a delight to watch, due to just that fact.  There's no complicated plot twists, no downers that can't be fixed.  Just good ol' fashioned fun. 

"Viva Las Vegas" is my favorite because you get the added pleasure of Ann-Margret AND Vegas.  Who wouldn't want to spend time in Vegas with those two?!  But if you can't catch that tonight, try to catch any of the other 10 Elvis showings today. 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and I'll be back Monday with a new film to discuss.

(Post-tidbit: From the time they met to the day he died, Elvis always sent Ann-Margret a room-full of flowers whenever she opened up a show in Vegas.)

Now, Voyager: Romance for the Ages

Hello, everyone! Did you all have a happy New Year's? I hope so. Of course with each new year comes our New Year's "resolutions." I put that in quotes because, as my friend Danielle says, resolutions have become weak statements. They should be called New Year's goals, so that we have a definite end in sight to watch for, hunt for, and finally, conquer or achieve.

So, as one of my New Year's goals, I plan to write about one of my favorite films every week. Each Monday (to help with those Monday blues), I will discuss another movie that I enjoy. There will be some film facts, trivia tidbits, etc. But mainly I will be discussing the joy of watching the film itself. And don't worry, I'm sure to have plenty of movies in my infinite Favs catalog to keep us going through the year.

Movie #1 of the year is the 1942 classic romance "Now, Voyager" starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains. The reason I decided to talk about this movie first is the fact that it has only recently become one of my favorite films. So as a new comer to the list, it seemed appropriate to start out the new year. For a long time, I had avoided this movie due to its immense number of now-cliche scenes and dialogue, much the same way I had avoided "Casablanca." Finally though, thanks to a friend's insistence, I broke down and watched it on TCM Essentials....And I was forever lost to the movie.

Bette Davis plays Charlotte Vale, a Boston spinster (thanks to her mother) who, after a nervous breakdown, gets help from Claude Rains' Dr. Jaquith. He helps transform her into a beautiful person, inside and out. On her first voyage out into the new world in her new form, she meets Jerry (Paul Henreid) and they fall madly in love. Yet due to Jerry's sense of honor toward his troubled wife, the two can never be together.

This is the movie that brings us lines like "Don't let's ask for the moon when we have the stars" and scenes like Henreid lighting 2 cigarettes at once, then giving one to Davis. All classic images and sounds that have been mocked throughout the years. I mean, who wants smoke blown in their face while trying to look romantically into some one's eyes. The thought alone makes me cough. And those lines, so melodramatic in the single form.

However, with the talent of Davis and her chemistry with Henreid, you get lost in their world. Davis fought for this role and thank goodness she did. Even I admit that Davis can be a bit much to watch, over the top in today's form. However, this is one of the true gems in her career, showcasing an amazing talent. "Now, Voyager" even became her biggest box office hit ever. So I dare you to sit down, watch this movie, and not get carried away by her performance. Yes, some parts are still a little melodramatic, but all-in-all, it's a movie that reminds you how strong love can truly be.

(Post-tidbit: Both Rains and Henreid immediately followed this movie with "Casablanca"...literally. Rains finished "Now, Voyager" and started "Casablanca" the following morning.)