The Apartment is an absolute classic that is charming, high-spirited, and profound in all of the right ways. The movie revolves around an insurance worker, C. C. Baxter, who works at a large corporation. In fact, the company is so large that there are many floors dedicated to thousands of individuals, which makes Baxter sometimes feel like he's just another person in the crowd, just another number. However, there is one thing that Baxter does that's different. Baxter lends his apartment key to other members of the company, who are higher up than him, and he lets them use it for whatever they wish. While it is definitely unfortunate for Baxter, who sometimes has to wait outside in the cold just so the other men can finish up their business, he believes that it will end up helping him in the long run, giving him opportunities he might otherwise not be afforded. In fact, it seems like all falls right into place when Baxter's boss, Mr. Sheldrake, makes an offer with Baxter to give him a promotion, assuming of course that Baxter hands over the key to his apartment and lets Mr. Sheldrake use it whenever he wants. Baxter goes along with the plan and is somewhat unsure at first, until he receives his first promotion and receives a new office to go along with it. Thinking that it's finally his time to make a move and set everything in his life right, Baxter tries to persuade one of the elevator girls at the company, Fran Kubilek, to go out with him. However, Baxter quickly realizes that Mr. Sheldrake's mistress is actually Fran Kubilek herself. Baxter must soon decide if he would rather continue to advance his career and receive more promotions or abandon it all to have a shot with Fran, except Baxter realizes that he can't have both. 
 The Apartment proves to be a thoroughly entertaining adventure that combines together comedy, drama and meaningful characters to produce a tale that is definitely an emotional roller coaster. While serving as a reflection of corporate America at the time, as well as how women were treated, the movie is able to showcase how the 1960s would represent a time of change and going against what had previously been perceived as normality. The men of the company that Baxter works for are represented as conniving and brutal political monsters that are unafraid and willing to do whatever it takes to benefit themselves. They put everyone else beneath them and believe that they can do whatever they want, without facing much opposition. 

 The Apartment has several different minor conflicts, but the true conflict of Baxter attempting to decide between the girl he loves and all the wealth, power, and status that comes with a new job is what really defines the movie. Choosing Fran would mean having a chance at being with someone that could always make him happy, but there never is a real guarantee that it would work out well. Choosing a new job means being immoral and always wondering what might have been with Fran, but it also means being set careerwise for the rest of his life. Thus, it becomes excruciatingly clear that Baxter must be very careful in deciding which he wants to pick. 

 The Apartment is a true hallmark of the cinematic industry at its best, and it all comes down to its key characters and cast. Jack Lemmon is spectacular as Baxter, and while he might be passive and lacks the assertion necessary to constantly protest against the problems of the world, the character still has its own natural charm that can still constantly please viewers. Shirley MacLaine is magnificent as Fran Kubilek, and she manages to add several layers of depth to the character. Fred MacMurray transforms into Jeff Sheldrake, who might just be one of the most despicable characters in all of film history. While there are plenty of other notable roles, the true heart and soul of the movie is Jack Lemmon, who might just be at his peak in this film. 

 The Apartment is a classic that has a powerful message and the ability to strongly resonate with audiences. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an outstanding 94%, which is just as impressive as it seems, and a whopping 90% of Google users liked the movie, solidifying the concept that the movie is a good fit with a wide variety of audiences. Due to the movie's natural charisma, all of the characters introduced are hard not to like and root for, especially Baxter. There's a surprising amount of drama, an unexpectedly wonderful cast, and an unsurprisingly terrific story. This is definitely a must-see.