The Apartment by Wilder and Diamond is a hilarious yet dramatic script. Above all of that, the script was very easy to read. I understood exactly what was happening and I was not distracted by any technical details. The Apartment screenplay should be considered a work on its own. The authors’ comments during the script allowed it to have a more literary feel and by not writing it just as a script, it becomes similar to a novel. The characters were pretty rich in detail. Bud and Fran have similar characteristic, both are outsiders, troubled with love, and typically emotionally distraught. These similarities caused their romance to be very enjoyable to read because you want them to be together and the ending gives a sign of hope they will.
Another interesting aspect is the high amount of subtext. The Apartment deals or touches on topics of adultery, sexual promiscuity, abortion, and suicide through its use of subtext. The topics are never explicitly dealt with in order to get past the censors, however any educated person can understand the subtext. The only flaw in the script is the ending. I felt it was a little rushed at the conclusion. I would have liked to a little more elaboration on the emotional turmoil of Bud over losing Fran. Other then that minor gripe, the script is excellent and would receive a recommend.
Christopher Carullo
Questions:
1. What were your thoughts on the level of subtext in The Apartment?
2. Do you agree that the balance of drama and comedy was perfect or did you find it uneven?
4 comments:
I though the level of subtext was great throughout the script. One example that comes to mind is when Bud is first called into the office to discuss his promotion. This sort of dialogue really made the script a good read. As far as the balance of comedy and drama, I thought that it was a little distracting at times, and I wish it would have been more consistent.
The balance of comedy and drama was dealt with very well I believe. I like when scripts don't try to apply by the rules of one genre, and just go when the story goes. Wilder balances the two out quite well. Suicide, depression, loneliness, and so on are included in the script, but Wilder writes it in a way that you can smile at what could otherwise be a very sad movie.
For some reason, I ended up skipping subtext and going back to it because the script was so predictable. I thought that there was also too much subtext at times as well. In most screenplays, the subtext is critically important, but in this script I don't believe it was necessary. This script was completely enjoyable to read simply because of the characters lines and what they had to say.
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