So it begins.....we shall see how the new way will work and I bet many will give their feedback:) This Year I am talking movies...once again...Surprise!! Hahahaaa I will be talking about a film and an artist connected to the film. I hope you enjoy the read. To view more check out the A to Z challenge for the Letter A.
1. THE APARTMENT-1960
DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder
STARS : Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray
OSCAR NOMS: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Beat Sound
OSCAR WINS: Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Art Direction(B & W), Editing
PLOT: Young executive allows his bosses to use his apartment as their sex den so he can get ahead at work. One of the galsbrought to his apartment by his boss is a woman he loves.
LOVE: When Lemmon's character drains the spaghetti
TRIVIA: Fred MacMurray was known as a real cheapskate. When he couldn't throw a quarter right at the shoeshine person in the film, Wilder suggested a 50 cent piece. MacMurray said he could never play that scene because he would never give that much to the shoe shine person.
ADOLPH DEUTSCH- October 20, 1897- January 1, 1980
OCCUPATION: Composer, Comductor, Arranger
OSCAR NOMS: The Bandwagon, Showboat
OSCAR WINS: Oklahoma, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Annie Get Your Gun
TRIVIA: He wrote mostly the scores for pictures or arranged the music. He was a child prodigy who composed his first piece, a waltz, when he was 10.
Wow that sounds like the plot of a terrible modern Rom-com. I guess films don't change that much after all. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAlert, Nunavut, Santa Claus' Next-Door Neighbour
No they really don't but some are better than others
DeleteGood luck with the challenge, Birgit. I'm not joining in this year - the changes they've made will eat into too much precious time, I'm afraid. I'll be looking in at your posts, of course, albeit not on a daily basis! :)
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
It does take time so totally understand
DeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI know this Billy Wilder movie! I went to see The Apartment at the age of ten, the same summer I saw Circus Of Horrors for the first time. Both pictures stand out in my memory because their adult dialogue and situations made quite an impression on impressionable young me. Throughout the 50s I had watched Disney movies and low budget horror, fantasy and sci-fi films. The Apartment and Circus were the first movies I can recall that helped usher me into the world of adult entertainment. Shirley MacLaine was an "it girl" back then. I enjoyed her performance in the 1958 Shirley Booth - Anthony Quinn movie Hot Spell, but didn't like her as much later in her career when she was typecast as rude, obnoxious characters. I knew Fred MacMurray best from his role as the father on My Three Sons. Jack Lemmon is one of my favorite actors, right up there with James Stewart. I have never seen Jack give anything but a top notch performance. It would make an interesting post to list the biggest tightwads in Hollywood history. :)
Thanks so much, dear friend BB, and have a great weekend!
Shirley was so good back then but yes, she does play the same type now but I did like her in Downton Abbey. I really like Jack Lemmon and find him such an excellent actor. As for tight wads...Cary Grant would be on this list as well.
DeleteMy parents would not let me see The Apartment when it came out. By the time I saw it, I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. How times change.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how some films get such notoriety for something that we just think, "so what" . This film is tame now but still entertaining
DeleteAnd in band, we performed some of his music.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool!
DeleteI love this movie! ☺ Interesting tidbit about Fred MacMurray. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine were so good together. Time to watch it again. Happy A to Z-ing!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed this read and I, too, need to see this film again.
DeleteWow, he sure could get the job done more than most, even at 10. I think I have seen this one a while back.
ReplyDeleteYes, this man intrigued me and I could find so little about him.
DeleteI've never seen that one
ReplyDeleteIt's quite good.
DeleteI never saw this one, but have really enjoyed watching movies from this era recently. I will have to look for it. This should be a fun challenge. I will be checking in often.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I have so many films I still need to see
DeleteThis was a great team of stars! Congrats on doing the A to Z this year.
ReplyDeleteWait for the letter J for team of stars! Thanks...hope I get through it.
DeleteShirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon what a dynamic duo. Shes 82 now and Dick Van Dyke is 91. I guess life styles values and customs are changing with uploaders shifting gear to faster, newer, dumber and louder. Many of these leading stars are gone now but weren't they great and Shirley's sweet voice...
ReplyDeleteDick is doing really well and I saw him dance a little soft shoe a couple of months back. Most are gone now even from the 50's and 60's. What I love is that Olivia De Havilland is still here and will be 101 in July.
DeleteDidn't see this onr. I like your theme. Will follow along as I can.
ReplyDeleteBetty
Hope you enjoy it
DeleteI never thought of Fred MacMurray as a cheap Scotsman, but I guess he was. Great start to this year's Challenge!
ReplyDeleteYes, he was I famous for his penny pincher ways and so was Cary Grant. I think it is because they grew up poor that they get affected Little this...not everyone but some.
DeleteNever saw a Jack Lemmon movie I didn't like but I don't remember seeing this one. Shirley MacLaine was always great too.
ReplyDeleteIf you like these stars then I think you would like this one
DeleteThe Apartment is among the top films on my list. I don't want to see it again because the emotions of the characters were so raw and real that it hurt to watch it. I saw the movie in my 20s so maybe I would react differently, but I don't want to be disappointed if seeing it again I would think it schlock rather than something else.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how strongly a film can affect us. I hope, if you see the film, that you are not as negatively affected but still like the film.
DeleteThis is the first I'm hearing of Adolph Deutsch. I'm off to Google him.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping you can find out more about him. I found so little for a man that is so intriguing. I couldn't even find much in my books.
DeleteI've never seen The Apartment and I don't know of Adolph Deutsch but I'm familiar with the songs in the shows he composed. Oklahoma! is a favourite of mine.
ReplyDeleteCait @ Click's Clan
Oklahoma is such a wonderful film that I love. He must have done some of the arranging of the music since Rogers and Hammerstein did the actual music.
DeleteThe Apartment is a classic. Worth seeing.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right!
DeleteSeen this one! Sad fact about Fred MacMurray though. Meanness is so unattractive,
ReplyDeleteYes, I think growing up poor made him this cheap.
DeleteWarren Beatty's sister.
ReplyDeleteYup! Always wondered if they were close
DeleteI don't believe I have ever seen it. I love your theme of movies.
ReplyDeleteMy theme this year, has some movies in it - but is about Baby boomers and the baby boom years we grew up in. Grab some cookies and milk, and come on over. Atomic Bombs
Thanks and glad you like my theme. I will head on over
DeleteA pity MacMurray was such a cheapskate. Usually have liked this actor, but alas, he's human with flaws just like the rest of us!
ReplyDelete"Female Scientists Before Our Time"
Shells–Tales–Sails
Yes, he was this cheap even if we think of him as such a good dad with his 3 sons
DeleteIt's been years since I've seen this. They show it fairly often on TCM so I'll have to catch it next time it comes on.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Hope you see it...it's quite good.
DeleteBrilliant! I really want to see this film now... maybe I have, I have such a terrible memory, but sounds like it has everything. Great start, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's a really good film
DeleteSaw the film long years ago...I'd heard the same thing about McMurray. This one had some really big names in it, but for some reason, it's not one that I re-watch as I do so many others. TFS
ReplyDeleteIt's not for everyone I think and I have seen it. Couple of times but I don't rewatch it all the time like I do some other films.
DeleteHi, BIRGIT.
ReplyDeleteI saw 'The Apartment' a godzillion years ago. Honestly, I can't remember a thing about it now, which I guess in and of itself means that the movie didn't really do anything for me. (I don't really care for Jack Lemmon's overacting, and that may have been part of the problem.)
But, say, YOU could do something for me!
When you get a chance, would you mind doing me the favor of seeing whether or not the following YouTube video will play for you in Canada? The YT Region Restriction Checker says this video WILL play, but I'm pretty sure that it won't:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_JPUo65JMY
Thanks a whole lot, Birgit. I'll check back here later for the results. Much appreciated.
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
I like Jack Lemmon but I can see what you mean even though I think differently. He is quite emotive and can be over the top but I never took it as over acting. I somehow got listening to a podcast and have no idea where to go on my I Pad to stop it...hahahaaa. It's about Jimmy Stewart during his war years. A friend of mine sent it through messenger. So...no clue where to go but once it's finished I will head on over to YouTube and listen to this and see if it will work in Canuckland:)
DeleteOk...podcast is done and it won't play here...sorry
DeleteThanks, BIRGIT. I was sure it wouldn't play there because the YouTube Region Restriction Checker is a big fat liar! Ha!
DeleteThanks again.
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
Birgit, The Apartment sounds like a fun movie. I love Jack Lemmon, so I'm definitely going to look for this one! Thank you for stopping by to check out my #AprilA2Z Art Sketching Through the Alphabet series letter "A" (angels) along with my Apr.1st BoTB showdown. It's always a pleasure to have you stop off for a bit! ;) Have a good week and happy a2zing!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about Fred MacMurray, who played so many pleasant, genial characters. I sometimes think we should steer clear of information about actors we like. It can spoil them for us.
ReplyDeleteIt's been years since I last saw The Apartment. Great film.
ReplyDeleteNeat I will have to check out the film!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I've never seen this movie. I love Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
ReplyDeleteI missed everyone's A post on Saturday. Now I'm trying to read two posts today for each blog I follow that's participating in the A-Z!
ReplyDeleteSo, you're going to pick an A-Z film and a corresponding A-Z person involved with that film? Sounds like an incredible effort!
I've heard of this film but haven't seen it! Adding it to my list of must-sees. I love your presentation, Birgit! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteNever saw that film, but I love the anecdote you told :-)
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir
I've actually heard of this movie, but never saw it. I like your review, though.
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me to check this movie out at my library! Jack Lemmon is one of my favorite actors, and I've never seen this film before. Thanks for the "Awesome A" suggestion.
ReplyDelete