A political thriller, a horror film, an old fashion melodrama, an erotic fairy tale. "Apartment Zero" is all of that and then some. Colin Firth in an early and already magnificent performance goes through his life playing a role. An English gent. He is so expert at it that the lie becomes true, or almost, in his own mind. The entrance of Hart Bochner - and what an entrance! - will change all that because Hart has adopted a fake identity himself. It is funny and deeply disturbing to see this two characters developing a form of mutual need when they lie to each other all the time. It's not every day that one can find the light of humanity in dark characters but "Apartment Zero" accomplishes that in spades. The film has more characters than a Russian novel but they are all so individually drawn that nobody could ever mistake them for each other. They all have faces! Mirella D'Angelo what a beauty! She plays the lonely wife next door. My God what a face! I don't quite know why I hadn't seen this film until now but I'm glad I did. It's now one of my top favorites that I'm sure will see again many. many times.
Reviews
2 Reviews
All About Eve
(1950)
Icons On The Verge
12 July 2011
As close to perfection as they come. A film than can be viewed again and again without ever getting tired. Bette Davis's Margo Channing is a film icon of major proportions. A point of reference. Her fear of the abyss is as human as it is at the center of this selfish, insecure, sacred cow. She is surrounded by some other sensational women. Thelma Ritter, Celeste Holm, Anne Baxter and in a tiny but telling part, Marilyn Monroe - a graduate from the Copacabana school of dramatic art. Wittily prophetic. George Sanders is another piece of extraordinary casting and writing. "I'm essential to the theater" Indeed. And here is a film that has become essential to anyone who loves movies"
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