The Apartment

(1960)

In the movie The Apartment set in the late 1950s, C.C. Baxter works at Consolidated Life, an insurance company, alongside thousands of other employees. In his quest to climb up the corporate ladder, Baxter frequently works late but is unable to access his own apartment as he lends it to his superiors for their extramarital affairs. When Baxter is called into the office of Jeff D. Sheldrake, the personnel director, he believes it is for a promotion but quickly learns that Sheldrake wants to use his apartment to continue his own affair. Unbeknownst to Sheldrake, his mistress is Fran Kubelik, an elevator girl whom Baxter secretly admires. Fran, on the other hand, is completely unaware of Baxter's affection for her. As the truth unravels on Christmas Eve, each character is forced to confront their own desires and make difficult decisions. Baxter's former allies, Dobisch, Kirkeby, Vanderhoff, and Eichelberger, who helped him in his ascent, now feel neglected. Miss Olsen, Sheldrake's secretary and former mistress, as well as Dr. Dreyfus, a neighbor who assumes Baxter is a playboy, also play significant roles in the story. With unexpected twists and turns, the characters are pushed to reevaluate their relationships and consider what they truly want.