The Apartment (1960 Billy Wilder)

There is a different - albeit shorter - version of this film. Fran is recovering in Baxter's apartment. He says to her "Look - Sheldrake doesn't care about you. He hasn't wanted to see you, or do anything for you. He's not going to leave his wife. I don't even know what you see in him - he's humourless, bland, incapable of love. Whereas I am nuts about you - always have been. I think you're the greatest gal in the world. I love you Miss K - Fran. I'm loyal, kind, hard-working. I'd always put you first. What do you say? Will you love me?"

Why doesn't he? Because, somehow, he can see that Fran is unnaturally in love - she doesn't really like the guy but can't help it. Which, I mean, does happen, girls falling for the wrong guy. Happens all the time. For all sorts of reasons. And maybe that's why he doesn't say anything - because he knows she has to come to him for it to work. Which, I mean, does show real emotional understanding.

A real emotional understanding that comes from the minds of Mr. Wilder and Mr. Diamond.

And also, maybe the reason he doesn't say anything, keeps weirdly sticking up for Sheldrake, is that he isn't yet a mensch.

So I think we'll settle with the version of the film as is.

Notes: I don't know what this wall painting is, and nor does Google Search. Who cares? It's anaemic crap.

Edie Adams is the poisonous Miss Olsen. No, not 'poisonous'. Disappointed.

Here's three examples of Joe LaShelle's fabulous, Oscar-nominated lighting. The first reminds me of a similar black / white shot from The Fortune Cookie.

And these two shots are consecutive in the same scene, but notice how differently they are lit. MacLaine looks like she is genuinely being lit from the table lamp in the first, but it's a completely different lighting composition for the second:

(He lost to Freddie Francis for Sons and Lovers.)

I don't think Cameron Crowe ever interviewed Jack Lemmon, unfortunately, but here's a good piece about why Cameron loves The Apartment. Boy, is he a good writer. I just read his piece on Jerry Maguire for Rolling Stone #750/751, including his and Cruise's memorable encounter with Wilder. It's just fantastic.