After watching the Best Picture winning film from 1959 (Ben-Hur) earlier today I thought I'd try the 1960 winner as I start a series of Billy Wilder films. This dramatic comedy tells the story of a man (played by Jack Lemmon) who is letting some coworkers cheat on their wives and using his apartment to do it. These men are all his superiors and he finds himself being promoted rapidly as a result of doing this. A love triangle develops between Lemmon, his boss, and an elevator operator. The plot is kind of comedic which is appropriate as this movie is a comedy. The plot develops rather quickly and is well-paced throughout.

As the principle actor in this film, Jack Lemmon does a pretty good job. He basically plays a guy that can't say no and plays it well. The role isn't all that demanding and the vast majority of the film Lemmon's character is fairly static. The supporting cast does a good job as well most notably Shirley MacLaine.

For a comedy, this wasn't all that bad. It didn't attempt to be overly-funny or stick in jokes just for the sake of being funny and that kept this from being just another bad comedy. This isn't nearly as good as the other Billy Wilder film I've seen, Sunset Boulevard but it's still better than average. This film is rather highly-regarded no matter what poll you look at although I think it might be a little too high. The film doesn't really address anything all that significant or accomplish much other than entertain the audience. Still, it does a good job at entertaining and that's the most important quality of a movie.

80.5/100
B-

UP NEXT: Another Billy Wilder movie - either Some Like it Hot, Witness for the Prosecution, or Ace in the Hole.

I just watched this...

I don't really have much to add to what catbox already wrote. The acting was pretty good; Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray do a pretty good job in their roles. The plot, like catbox mentioned, doesn't really address anything significant, but is rather dramatic and has it's comedic moments. The comedy was good and it wasn't overly forced. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

85/100

Walter Matthau was good in Kotch.

Kotch is a 1971, Oscar-nominated comedy film which tells the story of an elderly man who runs away so as not to be put into a nursing home, and strikes up a friendship with a pregnant teenage girl. It stars Walter Matthau, Deborah Winters, Felicia Farr, Charles Aidman and Ellen Geer.

The movie was adapted by John Paxton from the novel by Katherine Topkins. Matthau's friend and frequent costar Jack Lemmon directed; it was Lemmon's only film behind the camera.

The movie was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Walter Matthau), Best Film Editing (Ralph E. Winters), Best Music, Song (for Marvin Hamlisch and Johnny Mercer for "Life Is What You Make It") and Best Sound.

Also recommended:

Pete 'n' Tillie was a film released in 1972. It starred Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett in the title roles.

Charley Varrick - Charley Varrick is a 1973 crime film directed by Don Siegel and starring Walter Matthau, Andrew Robinson, Joe Don Baker and John Vernon. The film was based on the novel The Looters by John H. Reese

Walter Matthau won the 1973 BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "Pete 'n' Tillie" and for "Charley Varrick"