Jun 22, 2010

My Top 10 Billy Wilder movies

Arrived from work like an hour and a half ago, ate something, came to see what my fellow bloggers had posted, and noticed that today is Mr. Wilder's birthday. So, here's my ranking of his movies (as director), with a particular order for a change and some random thoughts:

#10.- Some like it hot: funny, the guys are terrific, Monroe is charming, classic endingBilly had some problems with Marilyn (or, as he said, Monroe had problems with Monroe) and some days she couldn't say a simple line like "It's me, Sugar". Anyway, he said that she had a great timing in her good days. 



#9.- A Foreign AffairDietrich owns this film, has some great moments, the one I'm embedding is one of them. Read somewhere that Jean Arthur had 'diva behavior' during this film, argued with Wilder and at the end apologized. The master was right. 




#8.- Love in the afternoonAh, if only Gary had been younger...anyway, good film, Audrey is great as always and Chevalier has a solid performance. Fell in love with the song "Fascination". Terrific ending. 



#7.- The lost weekendHere I thought: "What a great actor is Ray Milland". The scene I remember the most is when he's trying to sell his typewriter, and everything is closed. Drinking is a bad habit. 


# 6.- Double IndemnityWitty dialog, interesting racconto, one of the first films I saw starring Stanwyck. What can I say? A classic.



#5.- Sabrina: Ah, if only Bogie had been younger...I enjoy this film very much, has so many unforgettable parts: Audrey trynig to kill herself, Audrey in Paris trying to cook (It is all in the wrist), the letter reading scene in the kitchen ('that's good, that's bad', remember?)  Audrey coming back all dressed up, the dance in the tennis court, the line "Democracy can be a wickedly unfair thing Sabrina. Nobody poor was ever called democratic for marrying somebody rich."...I could go on forever...Anyway, I'm embedding "La vie en rose" because it's lovely...







#4 Sunset Boulevard: This movie introduced me William Holden and Gloria Swanson. I remember that awful monkey, the great narration in off, the camera shot from inside the pool, Norma's visit to the studios, the ending...


#3.- Avanti: Jack Lemmon and Billy Wilder were a great team. This is a terrific movie, with great jokes, a nice (and adulterous) relationship, Juliet Mills is so funny and her performance smooth, you learn how to say "excuse me" and "come in" in Italian. Oh, has lovely music too.



#2.- Witness for the ProsecutionAaaaaaah, they fooled me. How difficult must be to maintain the Agatha Christie's suspense effect. Wilder did. Laughton and Marlene...they give an acting class. 


#1.- The apartmentthis is kind the perfect movie. Excellent. Lovely. Jack Lemmon waiting outside in the cold, tired, because he lended his apartment to some lovers. Jack in love with Shirley McLaine. Shirley in despair. Noodles in a tennis racket. You know.

8 comments:

  1. How wonderful of you to do this post, I loved Witness for the proscution, Fabulous movie. I once saw Marlene Dietrick in a one woman show in Miami Beach, She was the only thing on the stage and was awesome such a fantastic woman.
    yvonne

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  2. Errol is one of my favorite stars, he was georgous. Not the kind of man to marry you, but a hell of a date. Whoo Hoo.

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  3. What a great post! I haven't seen some of these - you've piqued my interest!

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  4. Thank u Yvonne & Emma. Mr. Wilder is one of my favorite directors, so it was kind an easy post to write :) And if you haven't seen some of them, please do, you won't be sorry ;)

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  5. I think anytime someone brings up "the Apartment", the requisite accompanying phrase should be "noodles in a tennis racket"! :D I <3 Billy Wilder!

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  6. Thank u Yvonne & Emma. Mr. Wilder is one of my favorite directors, so it was kind an easy post to write :) And if you haven't seen some of them, please do, you won't be sorry ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. How wonderful of you to do this post, I loved Witness for the proscution, Fabulous movie. I once saw Marlene Dietrick in a one woman show in Miami Beach, She was the only thing on the stage and was awesome such a fantastic woman.
    yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think anytime someone brings up "the Apartment", the requisite accompanying phrase should be "noodles in a tennis racket"! :D I <3 Billy Wilder!

    ReplyDelete

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