I had the mistaken impression that this film was both “gleeful” and “a smashing good comedy” (from the blurbs on the packaging). In truth, it was much more somber than that, dealing with serious issues with an understated humor. Be prepared for that and you will love it. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine both play characters that you can’t help but love. Fred MacMurray plays a character that you can’t help but despise. Fine performances all around.

“I think I’m gonna become a mensch.”

nuff said

I really like movies that manage to present dark, depressing material in a way that isn’t self indulgent. By not dwelling on the adultery, attempted suicides, loneliness, and corporate ruthlessness we can pay attention to the message better. In the end, this movie shows us a time when women may have found a way into the workplace, but they were still thought of as second class citizens. It’s an important film as a reminder of that if for no other reason. But there are a lot of things to enjoy about the movie; it has humorous moments, and Baxter is a very endearing, put-upon protagonist.

As an aside, the moment where the doctor is trying to revive Fran by slapping the crap out of her and following that with shoving scalding coffee down her throat is probably the most difficult moment in the film to watch. It’s a moment that points out how our paradigms affect our behavior. We do what seems right at the time, but later on, it may seem ridiculous.

I kind of hesitated to put this on my love list; but this is not one of your happily ever after love stories; Adultery, greed and heartache play pivotal roles in this movie; one man’s reputation is soiled by what his neighbor’s think is going on in his place when it is just one lonely yet savvy man’s quest to get in on the big league; John Lemmon plays this hard working fella at this large company who “lets” married adulterous men borrow his place in order for them to “entertain” their girlfriends; He thought he hit the jackpot when Fred MacMurray, the head man , asked for the key in return to his getting a promotion; what he DIDN’T bargain on was coming home to find that the very object of his affections(Shirley McClaine) was the plaything of the big boss, then got depressed and tried to kill herself on Christmas Eve because her sweetie rather be with family than her, but when Lemmon finds her, he brings her back to health, restores her and though all this is done, folks swear he was the reason she tried to off herself; real dark story but with a nice ending;