Dana and Tom welcome back Christine Duncan to discuss the Best Picture winner of 1960, The Apartment: written and directed by Billy Wilder with I.A.L. Diamond, cinematography by Joseph LaShelle, music by Adolph Deutsch, starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray.

Plot Summary: C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), an ambitious office clerk in a Manhattan insurance firm, lends his apartment to philandering executives in hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. His plan hits a moral snag when he discovers that Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the elevator operator he’s fallen for, is having an affair with his boss, Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray). As Baxter wrestles with loyalty, loneliness, and love, he must decide whether success is worth sacrificing integrity and happiness. A poignant blend of sharp satire and heartfelt romance, The Apartment is a bittersweet portrait of ambition and redemption in the big city.

Guest:

Christine Duncan - Wife of Dana and Mother of Tom

• 15x guest: Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, There's Something About Mary, My Fair Lady, Pillow Talk, The Odd Couple, Bringing Up Baby, A Few Good Men - Revisit, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Top Gun, Dial M for Murder, Anatomy of a Murder, Gone Girl, Roman Holiday Revisit

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back Christine

02:12 Why Did Chris Want to Discuss The Apartment?

04:04 Cast of The Apartment

05:14 How Much Would You Sacrifice for Professional Success?

10:43 Background for The Apartment

14:32 Relationship(s) with The Apartment

16:59 Does Dana Like The Apartment?

17:43 Plot Summary for The Apartment

18:33 What is The Apartment About?

25:30 Did You Know?

31:49 First Break

33:45 GMOAT Hall of Fame for June 2025

40:56 Best Performance(s)

49:20 Best Scene(s)

56:03 Second Break

56:43 In Memoriam

57:58 A Note from Our Superfan

59:20 Best/Funniest Lines

01:03:39 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy

01:13:20 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance

01:17:11 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty

01:20:58 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness

01:25:10 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability

01:28:19 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total

01:30:48 Remaining Questions for The Apartment

01:35:49 Final Thoughts for the Week

01:40:34 Credits

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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/the-apartment-1960-ft-christine-duncan

For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list

Keywords:

The Apartment, Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, film analysis, classic cinema, movie themes, cultural commentary, film history, podcast, Hollywood, actors, film analysis, character dynamics, emotional stakes, legacy, audience engagement, comedy, classic films, rewatchability, Fred MacMurray, Oscar, Oscars, Best Picture, 1960s

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