Classic Romance The Apartment Screens
Billy Wilder's 1960 film The Apartment is a romantic comedy-drama that tells the story of a lonely insurance clerk who allows his bosses to use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. With its witty script and outstanding performances, this film has become a classic of American cinema.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David Lewis, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee
126 mins · 1960 · United States of America · Cert PG · English
IMDb 8.3/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 94% · Metacritic 94/100 · TMDB 8.2/10 · Trakt 82%
Awards: Won 5 Oscars. 26 wins & 8 nominations total
Relaxed Screening: The Apartment
14 Nov 2026
Duke of York's Picturehouse (Brighton)
The Apartment is a film that has stood the test of time, and its influence can still be felt today. Directed by Billy Wilder, the film stars Jack Lemmon as C.C. Baxter, a minor clerk in a huge New York insurance company who lends out his apartment to the executives as a place to take their mistresses. However, things become complicated when he falls in love with the elevator operator, Fran Kubelik, played by Shirley MacLaine, who is also having an affair with one of his bosses.
The film is a masterclass in comedy-drama, with a script that is both witty and poignant. The performances from the cast, including Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, are outstanding, and the film's themes of love, sex, and corporate morality are still relevant today. The Apartment was a commercial success, despite controversy owing to its subject matter, and it became the 8th highest-grossing film of 1960. At the 33rd Academy Awards, the film was nominated for ten awards and won five, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
The film has been widely praised by critics, with many considering it one of the greatest films ever made. It has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 103 reviews, and a score of 94 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 21 reviews. Viewers have also praised the film, with many commenting on its witty script, outstanding performances, and thought-provoking themes. Some have noted that the film's exploration of infidelity and adultery was controversial for its time, but that it is still a powerful commentary on the human condition.
The Apartment will be screening at the Duke of York's Picturehouse in Brighton on Saturday, 14 November 2026. The film runs for 116 minutes and is certified PG. Tickets are with the button beside the article. This is a relaxed screening, and audiences can expect a unique and intimate viewing experience. With its classic romance, witty script, and outstanding performances, The Apartment is a film that is not to be missed.
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What viewers say
NancyLDraper@gmail.com · 9/10
"Shut up and deal!" The four most (unlikely) romantic words in classical film. Nominated for 10 Oscars, winner of 5, this is a motion picture classic, that I was surprised to find, I'd never seen before. A wonderful combination of comedy and bleak humanity, all in a wonderful romance. Jack Lemmon is a master of comedic timing and delivery, but when the plot demands it, he can turn on a dime to dramatic perfection. Shirley MacLean, ever…
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christopher_brink · 8/10
Really not sure how I feel about this one--performances were amazing and left me disliking pretty much everybody; story was a very smart commentary on love and sex at the beginning of the sexual revolution--and maybe even still.
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LarZieJ · 10/10
<b>"That's the way it crumbles... cookie-wise."</b> First time rewatching "The Apartment" since I first saw it and I just had joined Letterboxd with an account and I must say, it is still as great as it was then. Billy Wilder knows people watching this know that 2 plus 2 is 4. He doesn't have to hold our hand to lead us through. That is why I simply love it that at the end Fran doesn't reply to Baxter's words and just tells him to play. I love…
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JoeyvanAwesome · 7/10
Good movie! The story is great. Didn't really expect the darker turn with the suicide attempt and all. I highly doubt a movie like this could be made in 2023. It feels like people would get offended... Anyway, really good way to pass the time on a rainy Sunday evening.
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juliosoft · 8/10
I remembered that it was fine, but it's very good, what script, what actors, what everything
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The8100 · 10/10
I liked this film. Great performances by Lemon and MacLaine and had a Mad Men feel to it.
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great_vc · 8/10
i'm not fan of old movies or say they never make them like this now but this movie was almost excellent. it started light weight and comedy feel and it ended up a bit dramatic but nevertheless the performances were beyond perfect. A must see for movie lovers
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tyluke · 9/10
“That’s the way it crumbles... cookie-wise. - C.C. Baxter The darkest of dark comedies. Another Wilder odd twisted tale of cynical folks living not so moral lives. 🍪 🔑🛌
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