The Apartment

MARK COUSINS: “Often the best movies are about loneliness and solitude. I’m thinking of Billy Wilder’s film, The Apartment. Towards the end, Shirley Maclaine is at a New Year’s party and she realises that this man who’s been in her life — Jack Lemmon’s character — loves her. And Billy Wilder, and his cinematographer and his editor, cut from that realisation to her running down the street at night in New York, and she’s running so fast the wind is pushing her coat, and the music is playing ‘dee-dee-dah-dee’, and she’s just running to her man. That kind of run, the run to something euphoric, is superb in the film — and generally in life I think we should run to something euphoric.”

INT. RESTAURANT — NIGHT Fran Kubelik (Shirley Maclaine) is sitting at a table, just before the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve. The place is packed with revellers, one of whom is her lover, Sheldrake (Fred Macmurray). He comes over and sits opposite her.

SHELDRAKE: Sorry it took me so long on the phone, but we’re all set.

FRAN: All set for what?

SHELDRAKE: I rented a car. It’s going to be here at one o’clock. We’re driving down to Atlantic City.

FRAN: Atlantic City?

SHELDRAKE: Oh, I know it’s a drag, but you can’t find a hotel room in town. Not on New Year’s Eve.

FRAN: [deadpan, taking a drink] Ring out the old year, ring in the new. Ring-a-ding-ding.

SHELDRAKE: I didn’t plan it this way, Fran. Actually, it’s all Baxter’s fault.

FRAN: Baxter?

SHELDRAKE: He wouldn’t give me the key to the apartment.

FRAN: He wouldn’t?

SHELDRAKE: Just walked out on me. Quit. Threw that big fat job right in my face.

FRAN: The nerve!

SHELDRAKE: That little punk. After all I did for him! He said I couldn’t bring anybody to his apartment, especially not Miss Kubelik. What’s he got against you, anyway?

FRAN: I don’t know. I guess that’s the way it crumbles — cookie-wise.

SHELDRAKE: What are you talking about?

FRAN: I’d spell it out for ya, only I can’t spell.

It’s nearly midnight. The revellers launch into ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Sheldrake stands up and kisses Fran on the lips.

SHELDRAKE: Happy New Year, Fran!

He turns and watches the festivities. Fran thinks, toying with her necklace. She smiles at the memory of something, and then her face falls. A realisation.

‘Auld Lang Syne’ comes to an end. Everyone whoops and hollers. Sheldrake drinks, laughs, turns around.

SHELDRAKE: Fran?

Fran’s chair is empty.

SHELDRAKE: Where are you, Fran?

FADE TO:

Fran is racing down the street, music swelling as she goes. She runs up the steps to C.C. ‘Bud’ Baxter’s (Jack Lemmon) apartment building. She opens the door, runs inside.