Perfect movies?

I was talking with one of my students yesterday and she mentioned how she had cajoled a few of her friends to watch The Apartment for the first time (the student has seen it on numerous occasions). She said her friends told her, “Why didn’t you tell us about this movie before? It’s so great!” Then my student said, “It’s a perfect movie.” And I thought about it for a second, nodded my head, and said, “You’re right. The Apartment is a perfect movie.”

I mean seriously, what could be done to improve that film? I can’t think of a single plot or subplot that needs something more or less. A single moment that feels clunky or false. Any scene that comes off as unnecessary or flat. From the very first moment of C.C. Baxter’s V.O. to the last line of dialogue offered up by Fran — “Shut up and deal” — The Apartment is the equivalent of cinematic perfection.

Now I am willing to bet that anybody who worked on the movie — going through all the rehearsals, staging, takes, retakes, editing, and the rest — would not think about the film in those terms. They would have had the experience of seeing all the mistakes, and ups-and-downs of production and post. Perfection simply wouldn’t be in their realm of thought in relation to The Apartment.

But not us movie fans. We’re not burdened with TMI (Too Much Information), we just experience the movie as a movie. And so I do think it’s fair for us to consider a movie and dub it perfect if we see fit.

So what about you? Is there such a thing as a perfect movie? If so, what’s on your list? Or perhaps they are so rare, you’ve only got one in mind. Including The Apartment, I’ve got three others I’m willing to put out there.

How about you? Do you have any movies you’d consider to be perfect?

Comment Archive