Don't Know...BILLY WILDER?

You really should know who BILLY WILDER (1906-2002) is! One of the greatest writer-directors in film history. He fled Nazi Germany and became an American treasure.










A fine place to start is by viewing: Double Indemnity (1944). Who can say which film was his best? This tale of deception and treasury certainly ranks near the top. Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck are incredible.


Watch this and then see these other four films.




Five Graves To Cairo (1943) Fascinating story of World War II espionage. He has too many superb films to choose from. Five titles are too few to give a good cross-section of his work.
The Lost Weekend (1945) Wilder received his first Oscar for Best Director. The movie is truly a harrowing study of an alcoholic's nightmare.
Sunset Blvd. (1950) Gloria Swanson and Wilder team to create the story of a silent star's descent into madness.
The Apartment (1960) Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director were well deserved. See these and look for his other films. You will be amply rewarded.


*Contributed by: "Eric Jamborsky" Date: Jun 17 2002 / 17:23:01

Academy Awards®
© A.M.P.A.S.®
1939 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): NINOTCHKA
1941 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): HOLD BACK THE DAWN
1941 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Original Story): BALL OF FIRE
1944 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): DOUBLE INDEMNITY
1944 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: DOUBLE INDEMNITY
1945 Won Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): THE LOST WEEKEND
1945 Won Best Achievement in Directing: THE LOST WEEKEND
1948 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): A FOREIGN AFFAIR
1950 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: SUNSET BLVD.
1950 Won Best Achievement in Writing (Story and Screenplay): SUNSET BLVD.
1953 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: STALAG 17
1954 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Screenplay): SABRINA
1954 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: SABRINA
1957 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
1959 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium): SOME LIKE IT HOT
1959 Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing: SOME LIKE IT HOT
1960 Won Writing (Best Story and Screenplay written directly for the screen): THE APARTMENT
1960 Best Achievement in Directing: THE APARTMENT
1960 Won Best Picture of the Year: THE APARTMENT — Producer
1966 Nominated for Best Achievement in Writing (Best Story and Screenplay written directly for the screen): THE FORTUNE COOKIE
1987 Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award