Inside the Ballantine's Apartment (Critic's Choice) - Bing and Bob Blogathon

Who's ready for some marital comedy set in a glam New York City apartment! Today, we're looking at the apartment from Critic's Choice, a 1963 comedy starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball. 

gif by me

This is my entry for the Bing and Bob Blogathon hosted by KNWiniarski Writes. Make sure to click through and read all of the other entries!

Let's dive in!

Critic's Choice is about Parker and Angela Ballantine: a scathing theatre critic and his second wife who live in a luxury apartment with his son, John. He's made a name as the top critic in town, and Angela has an idea for a play rattling around in her scattered brain. 

Here's Angela in the kitchen. I love the double oven, and the glassware on display in that cabinet. Plus, that classic mustardy yellow wall. 

Remember how I said she's scatterbrained? She used the baseball glove as an oven mitt... 

...and then promptly deposited it in the (sparsely-filled) fridge. I love the colour of that fridge. When I have my own house, I'm getting a coloured fridge. 

The apartment isn't always popping with colour though: their dining room is a very bland beige.

The second floor is laid out around a curved staircase, which is carpeted in a beautiful red carpet. 

There's a glimpse of the sitting room in front of Angie. 

And here's John, the son, in front of a marvelous potted plant (with the stairs and carpet to the side). I also love the accented red glasses and vases on the bar. 

As John runs to the dining room, we pass a hooked rug that's been abandoned. When Angie reveals she wants to write a play, Parker tells John that she won't go through with it because it'll be just another hobby, like rug-hooking... 

Another glimpse into the living room behind John, which shows a fireplace. 

After a father-son baseball game, where Parker's back was put out, he's relaxing on the couch in his library/office when Angie tells him that she's serious about writing a play based on her childhood, and the antics of her zany mother and zany sisters. 

Notice all the old books on the shelves behind them, the trophy, and the photos of two older men. I'm assuming fathers or grandfathers? 

I love that the one pop of red in this room is that painting of flowers... 

...and on the other side of the room, an office set-up, complete with typewriter, pencil holder, and a stack of paperwork. I love the blue vase on the shelf behind the typewriter. Angie commits to writing the script, and what's Parker going to say (at this point, anyways)? 

Later that night, they're getting ready for bed after a night out. Let's admire her little salon area. So opulent, and look at the radio! 

All of her knick-knacks, like the ceramic/porcelain dolls on the stand, remind me so much of my grandmother's house. 

You know I love an old telephone, so the robin's egg blue telephone caught my eye immediately. 

And the shade of blue of that duvet cover! 

Another view of Angie's salon area. She's just had the spark of an idea, and goes downstairs to start typing away. 

And it continues throughout the coming days: she's totally immersed in her script, not paying attention to a single thing going on around her. 

Notice the little raised area in their library? Super chic! 

And the disastrous blender accident (I love the shade of blue on that blender)!

And even when she's supposed to be asleep. 

Parker's making lunch one morning when the telephone rings. Notice that they even have books in the kitchen. 

Another glimpse of the kitchen when Johnny yells "Angie, phone!" 

It was a producer on the phone, Angie says, and he wants to read her script to see if there's potential. Before she sends it over, though, she wants Parker to read it. They cross through the dining room and go into the library, where Angie tries to stand over him as he reads. 

But she ends up pacing in the hallway... 

...and soon John joins her. Parker's reluctant to support her because he doesn't like the script, but he gives it his blessing anyways, and one thing leads to another, and soon Angie's going to Boston for an out-of-town tryout.

Leaving the men on their own... 

...with the support of Angie's mother, played wonderfully by Jessie Royce Landis (a favourite of mine). 

Oh, and Parker's ex-wife, Ivy, re-enters the picture, but not for any truly nefarious purpose, just to create conflict and give Parker someone to vent to about Angie's script. 

The deep blue of the front door to their apartment is a great off-set to all the beige and olives elsewhere in the apartment. 

Finally, it's opening night. Parker's still a grump about everything, and his mood has rubbed off on Angie. I love a '60s bar area, and this one's no exception. 

This is Dion Kapakos, the play's director. He's played by Rip Torn, for what it's worth. He's also totally in love with Angie, and her defenses are wearing down after all of Parker's criticisms and negativity. 

He shows up at the apartment to join the party and makes himself at home while they wait for Angie to descend. But there's enough drama between Parker and Angie that she tells him not to bother coming, because she knows he's only going to savage the play, and that for tonight she has no husband. 

Parker decides not to go... at first. Then he goes to Ivy's apartment, gets totally hammered, and goes to the play. And then writes the most scathing review of his career. My favourite line: "Produced by Mistake." 

It's the last straw for Angie, who's going to leave with Dion, much to the protestations of John, her mother, and her sisters (who were flown in by Parker, unbeknownst to her). Dion's the only one who wants her to leave with him. 

He wants to apologize to Angie in private, so he follows her up the stairs, where she's packing her things. 

And Dion's sprawled out on her side of the bed. But check out all of that accented blue! I love that it's the colour running through all the rooms in the apartment. 

A glimpse of the closet and their private bathroom. 

I love that vase, and those pink flowers. So many wonderful styling choices in the bedroom. Good job, Angie! 

Another view of the upstairs. Angie's still trying to leave, but Parker makes an impassioned apology, saying that he'll always support her endeavours from now on, and if that includes another play, he'll back her 100%. 

Dion tells her that she'll just wind up a housewife if she stays with Parker, and that she'll never write another play. She tells him that she will if she wants to, and then Parker kicks him out (he gets a ticket for parking in a no parking area, as he waits outside all night for Angie to come down). 

The next morning, Angie and Parker are reconciled, and he calls the night before the "best conception" of the entire season. Make of that what you will! 

THE END! 

I took all the screencaps in this post.

Read the Apartment Therapy posts for Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Ladies Man, Bachelor in Paradise, Pillow Talk, Any Wednesday, and The Thrill of It All!