1960 wasn't the Swinging Sixties yet and subject matter such as this,
which could have been considered offensive to society
which was far more religious than ours,
was made into comedy.
All these years later, I think of this film as having social commentary embedded in it. There is sexism and there is classism and well... What will you think once you've seen it? Maybe relax and find it fun, relate to it, or simply realize this kind of situation still happens. Only now, we have the MeToo Movement.
Shirley MacLaine is one of my favorite actresses* and someone who lived an unconventional life. After marrying and having a daughter, her husband and daughter moved to Japan. Theirs was a long distance and alternative relationship. She sent money. Focusing on her career, aware that despite her talent and hard work she was lucky to have one, MacLaine's autobiographical works (books), several which I've read, reveal that she was free to have other relationships and did have them. Be it through negotiation or just how it worked out, her marriage was an Open one. (Back in the day her marriage would have been considered one in which there was a "role reversal")
In The Apartment, Shirley MacLaine acts as Fran Kubelik, an young and pretty elevator operator who only has access to the executives at a company because they ride the elevator. Her ethnic surname suggests that this job is the best she can do (circa 1960). Though in a lowly position, she is hopeful and open-minded for love. She's a respectable girl who seems not to accept dates out of some sense of professionalism or wisdom but how long can that last?
Mister Sheldrake, the Big Boss, played by Fred MacMurray, has his afternoons to entertain. He and other characters at the office are using an underlings apartment to have afternoon sex, excessively. The underling, C.C. Baxter, played by Jack Lemmon, can't say no. He needs recognition and advancement in his career. The neighbors can hear all that sex through the walls and think it's Baxter - very busy.
Who will seduce Fran?
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* Shirley was mentioned in this blog before because of her acting in the film Bernie. Bernie Tiedi was featured in January 2021
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