Billy Wilder: Difference between revisions

 

'''Billy Wilder''' (1906-2002) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, regarded as one of the greatest and most versatile filmmakers of the [[Golden Age of Hollywood]].

He was born as Samuel Wilder in Sucha, Galicia, now part of Poland, but at that time, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the early '30s, he worked as a screenwriter for German films under the name "Billie Wilder", but after [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] came to power, he emigrated to the United States, because of his Jewish ancestry. He continued his career as a screenwriter there, further changing his name to "Billy Wilder". He directed his first American movie, ''The Major and the Minor,'' in 1942, and followed it with a string of critical and commercial hits until the '60s. Wilder equally excelled in dark, cynical [[Film Noir|noir]] dramas and satires or light [[Romantic Comedy|romantic comedies]]. He co-wrote all of his films, and won six [[Academy Award|Academy Awards]], two for Best Director, three for Best Writing, and one for Best Picture.

 

* ''[[Ninotchka]]'' (1939) -- Romantic comedy about a love affair between a Soviet diplomat (Greta Garbo) and a French aristocrat; one of the first American films to portray the Soviet Union. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch.

* ''[[Ball of Fire]]'' (1941) -- Screwball comedy about a mobster's girlfriend hiding from the law with an [[Oblivious to Love]] English professor. Directed by Howard Hawks.

 

* ''[[Double Indemnity]]'' (1944) -- The quintessential [[Film Noir]], starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. Co-written with [[Raymond Chandler]].

* ''[[The Lost Weekend]]'' (1945) -- The first Hollywood movie that portrayed alcoholism dramatically, starring Ray Milland. Won Best Picture.

* ''[[Sunset Boulevard]]'' (1950) -- A dark, cynical take on the film industry and fame, starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson.

* ''[[Stalag 17]]'' (1953) -- A comedy-drama about POWs in [[World War II]], starring William Holden.

* ''[[Sabrina]]'' (1954) -- A light romantic comedy starring [[Audrey Hepburn]] and [[Humphrey Bogart]].

* ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]'' (1955) -- A romantic comedy with [[Marilyn Monroe]], source of the [[Marilyn Maneuver|iconic image]].

* ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'' (1959) -- A classic comedy, again starring [[Marilyn Monroe]], with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

* ''[[The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1970) -- A combination [[Affectionate Parody]] and [[Deconstruction]] of the [[Sherlock Holmes]] character.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Screenwriters]]

[[Category:Producers]]