After more than a decade long copacetic working relationship with Paramount Pictures, Cracks were starting to show. when "Ace in the Hole" received a less than positive reaction from the critics on its release on the west and east coasts... As they rolled out the movie across the Midwest and the South Paramount changed the movies title from "Ace in the Hole" to
"The Big Carnival" without consulting Billy Wilder. As you can imagine he was not happy.
In 1952 principal photography started on Wilder's next picture....
Stalag 17 (1953)
Directed by Billy Wilder, Screenplay by Edwin Blum & Billy Wilder, Based on the play “Stalag 17” (1951) by Donald Bevan & Edmund Trzcinski, Produced by Billy Wilder, Music by Franz Waxman, Cinematography by Ernest Laszlo, Edited by George Tomasini, Starring William Holden, Don Taylor & Otto Preminger, Narrated by Gil Stratton.
One night in 1944 in a German POW camp housing American airmen, two prisoners try to escape the compound and are quickly discovered and shot dead. Among the remaining men, suspicion grows that one of their own is a spy for the Germans. All eyes fall on Sgt. Sefton who everybody knows frequently makes exchanges with German guards for small luxuries. To protect himself from a mob of his enraged fellow inmates, Sgt. Sefton resolves to find the true traitor within their midst.
The movie was shot in 1953 and unusually the film was shot chronologically, normally to much of a time-consuming and costly process but it was done so the cast wouldn't know the identity of the informant until the last few days of shooting.
Paramount then shelved the film for months because they didn't believe US movie going audiences would want to see a movie about a Nazi P.O.W. camp.
The studio did eventually release the movie on May 29, 1953 (UK) / June 6, 1953 (US)
The film was praised by critics on its release,
Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote "cracker-jack movie entertainment". Harrison's Reports a weekly New York City-based motion picture trade journal wrote
"Thanks to the brilliant handling of the subject matter by producer-director Billy Wilder, and to the fine acting of the entire cast, the picture has been fashioned into a first-rate entertainment".
“Stalag 17” was a massive hit at the time grossing $10m at the Box Office against a production budget of $1.7m.
It was nominated for three Oscars winning one, Willam Holden took home The Best Actor statue his acceptance speech is one of the shortest on record, ("thank you, thank you")
on reflection he wished he had said more, so he personally paid for advertisements in the Hollywood trade publications to thank everyone he wanted to on Oscar night he also added that he felt that either Burt Lancaster or Montgomery Clift should have won The Best Actor Oscar for “From Here to Eternity” instead of him.
He always said privately, He felt he was given the award from the Academy as a consolation for having been overlooked for Sunset Boulevard.
In 1954 West Germany was a lucrative market for Hollywood hoping to increase the chance of the film getting a release in Germany a Paramount executive asked WIlder if they could dub the movie to change the Nazi spy/informant who gets shot to a Polish P.O.W. who had sold out to the Nazis. Wilder being a Polish Jew who had family members murdered in Nazi death camps was furious! He told Paramount he would leave if he didn't receive a full apology!
Due to the delay in releasing "Stalag 17" Billy was already in pre-production for "Sabrina" when this drama kicked off. So when that was complete... the studio had failed to apologise so he refused to renew his contract with Paramount and walked away.
"Stalag 17" made Paramount piles of cash (it never was released in West Germany it was actually band there until 1960) and due to a mix of ignorance and anti-semitism Paramount lost Billy Wilder to 20th Century Fox .
Sabrina (1954)
Directed by Billy Wilder, Screenplay by Billy Wilder, Ernest Lehman, Samuel A. Taylor, Based on the novel “Sabrina Fair” by Samuel A. Taylor, Produced by Billy Wilder, Music by Frederick Hollander, Cinematography by Charles Lang, Edited by Arthur P. Schmidt, Starring Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Walter Hampden, John Williams, Martha Hyer & Joan Vohs.
Chauffeur's daughter Sabrina returns home from two years in Paris a beautiful young woman, and immediately catches the attention of David, the playboy son of her father's rich employers. David woos and wins Sabrina, who has always been in love with him, however, their romance is threatened by David's serious older brother, Linus, who runs the family business and is relying on David to marry an heiress for a crucial merger to take place.
Billy's last film with Paramount opened in New York and Los Angeles on September 23, 1954
and was number one at the box office for two weeks. Critics lauded the film saying things like "the most delightful comedy-romance in years". Audrey Hepburn's performance was praised, "she is wonderful in it — a young lady of extraordinary range of sensitive and moving expressions"
It more than doubled its money at the box office at the time and has become a true classic,
It was Nominated for seven Oscars but only Edith Head won on the night for her stunning costume design.
"Sabrina" (1954) was Wilders fifth film to be deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and added to the National Film Registry by the U.S. Library of Congress.
Just whatever you do don't watch the 1995 remake with Harrison Ford, As a further insult to Billy Wilder Paramount waited 40 years then churned out a remake of his movie devoid of all charm and humor.
"The Seven Year Itch" (1955)
After leaving Paramount Wilder went to work for 20th Century Fox, and made
and directed the film "Seven Year Itch" written for the screen by Billy Wilder and George Axelrod adapted from the 1952 stage play of the same name by George Axelrod. Marilyn Monroe was under contract at Fox so that was useful. made on a budget $1.8 million and it grossed $12 million at the Box office, so suck that Paramount!
This film has not aged well so I don't hail it as one of his best, It makes light of extramarital affairs and is generally cynical and crass. Monroe's character doesn't even have a name!
Oh Yeah!! you know that iconic "shot" from "The Seven Year Itch" when Marilyn's skirt flies up while standing on a subway grate... Remember? Remember?!
Well it's NOT in the movie!
In the film the draft whips her dress around her knees a bit. Talk about false advertising!
"The Spirit of St. Louis" (1957)
Billy went to Warner Brothers to direct this aviation biography film in CinemaScope and "Warnercolor"?? It starred James Stewart as Charles Lindbergh. The movie is based on Lindbergh's 1953 autobiographical account of his historic flight and his early days in aviation, the film's storyline largely focuses on Lindbergh's preparation, and accomplishment of, his historic transatlantic flight in the purpose-built Spirit of St. Louis high-wing monoplane.
Surprisingly the film doesn't dwell on Lindbergh being a massive Nazi and anti-Semite who loved hanging out in Germany in the 1930s and gave aviation advice to the Luftwaffe. He was a buddy of Hermann Goering and was awarded "The Service Cross of the German Eagle" that he proudly wore. He went on the Radio in America giving speeches about how it was important for America to remain neutral when it came to WW2 and spoke about "Defending the white race against foreign invasion" and "Holding back the infiltration of inferior blood"
(This guy spewed so much Nazi propaganda I think Oswald Mosley would ask him to dial it down a bit!)
It's Incredible that Billy directed his biopic! Lindbergh must have been Pissed!!
I don't endorse this film! Moving on!
Love in the Afternoon (1957)
is a romantic comedy produced and directed by Billy Wilder, Starring Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn and Maurice Chevalier.
It's based on the 1920 Claude Anet novel Ariane, jeune fille russe (Ariane, Young Russian Girl).
The story explores the relationship between a notorious middle-aged American playboy business magnate and the 20-something daughter of a private detective hired to investigate him.
I haven't seen this film and in all honesty it was a flop when it came out and it has not improved with age. In 1957 the 56 year old Gary Cooper chasing after the 28 year old Audrey Hepburn was seen as implausible and creepy so in 2024 I imagine it's unwatchable.
The most significant thing about "Love in the Afternoon" was the first time Billy Wilder teamed up with screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond to collaborate on the screenplay and even though the film was a failure I don't think it was due to the writing and the two definitely got on and enjoyed working together.
Wilder next went back to working with producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. who was producer at Paramount who worked with Wilder on his first Hollywood picture "The Major and the Minor" back in 1942 Hornblower Jr. was also now ex-paramount and was an independent producer who had a distribution deal with United Artists (If you remember back in my Kubrick blogs Kirk Douglas was a producer who could get films made them UA would distribute them)
“Witness for the Prosecution” (1957)
Directed by Billy Wilder, Screenplay by Larry Marcus, Billy Wilder & Harry Kurnitz,
Based on “The Witness for the Prosecution” the 1953 play adapted from the 1926 story written by Agatha Christie, Produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr., Music by Matty Malneck, Cinematography by Russell Harlan, Edited by Daniel Mandell, Starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton & Elsa Lanchester.
The affable Leonard Vole is being tried for the murder of a wealthy woman, and legendary lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts has chosen to represent him. Unfortunately, Leonard's alibi depends on the testimony of his callous wife, Christine -- who, after the discovery of a legal loophole, makes the shocking decision to appear in court against him. To Sir Wilfrid's surprise, this is only the first in a series of puzzling revelations and reversals.
This Film is truly wonderful! It's in my Top 3 wilder pictures ever and it would be somewhere in my Top 50 films of all time it is just so good.
Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich are the headline talent but Charles Laughton steals the film ably assisted by the effervescent Elsa Lanchester playing his nurse.
Real life Husband and Wife Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester have palpable on screen chemistry in the film.
It was made for $2m and it grossed $9m at the American Box Office.
It is a suspenseful courtroom drama penned originally by Agatha Christie so there is a twist/ whodunit element to the film so as the credits rolled at the conclusion of film a voice over played in the cinema saying,
"The management of this theater suggests that, for the greater entertainment of your friends who have not yet seen the picture, you will not divulge to anyone the secret of the ending of Witness for the Prosecution."
Some of the print advertising said,
"You'll talk about it! - but please don't tell the ending!"
So cute, they should bring that back!
The American Film Institute included this film in its 100 greatest American films of all time and they listed it as the 6th best American courtroom drama ever.
This must have been a reel boost for Wilder not only is he making great work post Paramount but now he is making great profitable films outside of the studio system.
End of Part 4
