Some Like It Wilder: The Life and Controversial Films of Billy Wilder (Screen Classics) - Hardcover

Phillips, Gene D.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813125707 ISBN 13: 9780813125701

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky, 2010

Synopsis

One of the most accomplished writers and directors of classic Hollywood, Billy Wilder (1906-2002) directed numerous acclaimed films, including ""Sunset Boulevard"" (1950), ""Sabrina"" (1954), ""The Seven Year Itch"" (1955), ""Witness for the Prosecution"" (1957), and ""Some Like It Hot"" (1959). Featuring Gene D. Phillips's unique, in-depth critical approach, ""Some Like It Wilder: The Life and Controversial Films of Billy Wilder"" provides a groundbreaking overview of a filmmaking icon. Wilder began his career as a screenwriter in Berlin but, because of his Jewish heritage, sought refuge in America when Germany came under Nazi control. Making fast connections in Hollywood, Wilder immediately made the jump from screenwriter to director. His classic films ""Five Graves to Cairo"" (1943), ""Double Indemnity"" (1945), and ""The Lost Weekend"" (1945) earned Academy Awards for best picture, director, and screenplay. During the 1960s, Wilder continued to direct and produce controversial comedies, including ""Kiss Me, Stupid"" (1964) and ""The Apartment"" (1960), which won Oscars for best picture and director. This definitive biography reveals that Wilder was, and remains, one of the most influential directors in filmmaking.

About this title

Review:

"Phillips intertwines Wilder's life story, drawn from archival records and his interviews with Wilder, with his films, providing a plot synopsis, quotes, anecdotes, and mildly interesting trivia for each film." -- Library Journal

"Phillips presents Wilder in accurate detail and sets many legends to rest. He understands and analyzes each project with support from his copious research, countless interviews with those who knew and worked with Wilder, as well as an interview with the grand master himself.... He goes beyond the surface and deep into the complex mind and soul of the famous film director.... This book is, in my view, definitive." -- Vincent LoBrutto, author of Martin Scorsese: A Biography

"Wilder often clashed with the strict production codes and national conservatism in order to present lively characters and plots that were out of the ordinary. He left behind a rich legacy and the reputation for being a master at his craft." -- Vincent LoBrutto, author of Martin Scorsese: A Biography

"Phillips, who interviewed Wilder several times, has mastered the voluminous correspondence between Wilder and his antagonists and collaborators, which reveals a hidden history of studio filmmaking that often contradicts the myths." -- DGA Quarterly

" Some Like it Wilder is an absolute must for any fan of film history or for film history collections in general." -- Wisconsin Bookwatch

"[Phillips] tells the story of this iconic filmmaker's journey from being a writer who escaped Nazi controlled Germany to becoming an Academy award-winning director." -- kydirect.net

"Wilder's life story, told before, is very usefully updated here. Recommended." -- Choice

"Featuring Gene D. Phillips' unique, in-depth critical approach, Some Like It Wilder: The Life and Controversial Films of Billy Wilder provides a groundbreaking overview of a filmmaking icon.... This definitive biography reveals that Wilder was, and remains, one of the most influential directors in filmmaking" -- Turner Classic Movies

"The real trick is to keep the narrative interesting, and Father Phillips is certainly up to the task, so much so that his book has recently been touted on the America Movie Classics cable television network -- surely a promotional coup for the University Press of Kentucky. Wilder's life story told many times before is here usefully updated." -- J.M. Welsh, Literature/Film Quarterly

" Some Like It Wilder: The Life and Controversial Films of Billy Wilder paints both a comprehensive and affectionate portrait of Wilder.... The work remains and speaks for itself, but this book will give anyone interested in Wilder a fresh insight into how it got made." -- Pretty Clever Films

About the Author:

Gene D. Phillips is professor of film history and modern literature at Loyola University Chicago. He is the author of numerous books about film and film history, including Creatures of Darkness: Raymond Chandler, Detective Fiction, and Film Noir and Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0813125707
• ISBN 13: 9780813125701
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 464