Ace in the Hole 1951  N/R, 111 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: The Big Carnival
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Bob Arthur, Porter Hall, Richard Benedict, Frank Cady, Ray Teal, Lewis Martin, Gene Evans, Iron Eyes Cody, Frank Jaquet, Harry Harvey
When Leo Minosa (Richard Benedict) is trapped in a mine cave-in, reporter Charles Tatum (Kirk Douglas) sees his chance for glory in building up a story through interviews with the dying miner.
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 The Apartment 1960  N/R, 125 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, David Lewis, Jack Kruschen, Joan Shawlee, Edie Adams, Joyce Jameson, Willard Waterman, Hope Holiday, Naomi Stevens, David White
Winner of five Oscars including Best Picture and Director, this film tells the story of a clerk, C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) trying to get ahead by lending his apartment to philandering executives. Matters become complicated when he falls in love with his boss Jeff D. Sheldrake's (Fred MacMurray) current lover Fran (Shirley MacLaine). Hilarious satire by the director of "Some Like It Hot." Academy Award nominations included Best Actor (Jack Lemon), Actress (Shirley MacLaine), and Supporting Actor (Jack Kruschen).
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Avanti! 1972 R, 143 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Juliet Mills, Clive Revill, Edward Andrews, Gianfranco Barra, Franco Angrisano, Pippo Franco, Franco Acampora, Giselda Castrini, Raffaele Mottola, Lino Coletta, Harry Ray, Guidarino Guidi, Giacomo Rizzo, Antonino Faa Di Bruno
American businessman Wendell Armbruster's (Jack Lemmon) father dies in Italy in a car crash while enjoying a liaison with his mistress. Wendell is determined to give him a proper funeral and travels to Italy where he meets Pamela (Juliet Mills), the daughter of his late father's mistress. The funeral is scheduled in three days, but the bodies are stolen from the morgue, and the vintners are holding the corpses hostage until damage caused by the crash is paid. After paying up and retrieving the bodies, Wendell and Pamela enjoy a night of skinny dipping that could result in scandal but marks the beginning of their own love affair.
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Buddy Buddy 1981  R, 98 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Paula Prentiss, Klaus Kinski, Dana Elcar, Miles Chapin, Michael Ensign, Joan Shawlee, Ed Begley Jr., Frances Bay
A paid assassin, Trabucco (Walter Matthau), checks into a hotel room adjoining that of Victor Clooney (Jack Lemmon) who is depressed suicidal over his impending divorce. Just as Trabucco is about to shoot his prey, Victor interrupts him, which sets off a series of miscues, mistaken identity, and misdirected actions in this perfectly played farce.
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 Double Indemnity 1944 N/R, 107 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Gig Young, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, Edmund Cobb, Byron Barr, John Philliber, Clarence Muse, Bess Flowers, Sam McDaniel
Insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is persuaded to kill his lover Phyllis' (Barbara Stanwyck) husband (Tom Powers) in order to cash in his insurance policy. The catch is that if the husband is killed by a moving vehicle, the policy will pay double. But, they have not counted on tenacious insurance investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) who is assigned to the case. Great performances by all. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards–including Best Picture, Actress (Stanwyck), and Director.
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The Emperor Waltz 1948 N/R, 105 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson, Richard Haydn, Sig Ruman, Julia Dean, Harold Vermilyea, John Goldsworthy
Virgil Smith (Bing Crosby) is a phonograph salesman targeting Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph (Richard Haydn) as his prime customer reasoning that if the emperor buys a phonograph, the rest of Austria will follow suit.
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Fedora 1978  PG, 110 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: William Holden, Marthe Keller, Jose Ferrer, Frances Sternhagen, Henry Fonda, Michael York, Hildegarde Neff, Mario Adorf, Gottfried John, Hans Jaray
Adapted from Thomas Tryon's "Crowned Heads," this tale is about a down-on-his-luck movie producer, Barry Detweiler (William Holden), who tries to lure an elusive movie star, Fedora (Marthe Keller), out of her retirement on the Greek isles. Nothing is like appears, and the "surprise" ending is unsurprising. Kinda long.
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Five Graves to Cairo 1943  N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, Akim Tamiroff, Erich von Stroheim, Peter van Eyck, Fortunio Bonanova, Miles Mander, Konstantin Shayne, Fred Nurney, Ian Keith
Remade from 1939's "Hotel Imperial," this story is updated to World War II, and it is the Germans–not Russians–who are the object of conspiracy as a hotel guest (Franchot Tone) tries to obtain military secrets from Field Marshal Rommel (Erich von Stroheim).
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A Foreign Affair 1948 N/R, 116 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich, John Lund, Millard Mitchell, William Murphy, Stanley Prager, Peter von Zerneck, Raymond Bond, Boyd Davis, Robert Malcolm, Charles Meredith, Michael Raffetto, Damian O'Flynn, Frank Fenton, Bill Neff
As a member of a fact finding mission, Iowa Congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur) investigates American Capt. John Pringle (John Lund) who is stationed in Post-World War II Berlin. Phoebe learns that John is having an affair with Berlin torch singer Erika von Schluetow (Marlene Dietrich). To make matters worse, he is involved in black market activities. Despite being shocked by all that she has learned, Phoebe falls in love with John and now must compete with sexy Erika for his attention.
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The Fortune Cookie 1966 N/R, 125 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Judi West, Cliff Osmond, Lurene Tuttle, Harry Holcombe, Les Tremayne, Ned Glass, Sig Ruman, Lauren Gilbert, Marge Redmond, Noam Pitlik, Harry Davis
This film is a satire on middle-class values in America. When television cameraman Harry Hinkle (Jack Lemmon) is injured during his filming of a Cleveland Browns football game, his brother-in-law "Whiplash Willy" (Walter Matthau) becomes his lawyer as they go to court to collect for injuries. Matthau won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
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The Front Page 1974 PG, 105 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Carol Burnett, Susan Sarandon, Vincent Gardenia, David Wayne, Allen Garfield, Charles Durning, Martin Gabel, Harold Gould
This is the third filming (the 1940 version was titled "His Girl Friday") of the Ben Hecht-Charles MacArthur play about the intrigue in a Chicago pressroom as news of a jail break brings matters to a head in this excellent comedy/drama. Again remade in 1988 as "Switching Channels."
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Irma la Douce 1963 N/R, 147 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Bruce Yarnell, Lou Jacobi, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee, Howard McNear, Cliff Osmond, James Brown
Nestor Patou (Jack Lemmon) becomes involved in protecting prostitute Irma la Douce (Shirley MacLaine) from her pimp Hippolyte (Bruce Yarnell) by posing as the impotent Lord X. Andre Previn won an Oscar for his Music; two nominations were also received, including MacLaine for Best Actress.
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Kiss Me, Stupid 1964 PG, 126 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Dean Martin, Kim Novak, Ray Walston, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond, Barbara Pepper, Doro Merande, Howard McNear, John Fiedler, Mel Blanc, Skip Ward, Alice Pearce
Pop singer and womanizer Dino (Dean Martin) stops at a small town for gas. But, the weird gas station attendant, Barney (Cliff Osmond), sabotages Dino's car so that Barney and his partner Orville (Ray Walston) can pitch their songs to Dino. They even fix Dino up with Polly the Pistol (Kim Novak)–and the fun begins. This film was condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency upon its release but is tame by today's standards.
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The Lost Weekend 1945 N/R, 101 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling, Frank Faylen, Mary Young, Anita Sharp-Bolster, Frank Orth, Byron Foulger, Lillian Fontaine, Lewis L. Russell, James Millican, Emmett Vogan, David Clyde
Ray Milland won the Oscar for his portrayal of Don Birnam, writer and alcoholic. Birnam's problem reaches a crisis during one long weekend of drinking, after which he suffers the D.T.s as his girlfriend Helen St. James (Jane Wyman) begs him to stop drinking. Ray Milland: "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation. I can't take quiet desperation." This film also won the Best Picture Academy Award, as did Billy Wilder for his directing and writing.
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Love in the Afternoon 1957 N/R, 125 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, Van Doude, John McGiver, Lise Bourdin, Paul Bonifas, Olga Valery, The Gypsies, Guy Delorme, Minerva Pious, Moustache, Bernard Musson, Filo
Monsieur X (John McGiver) hires Parisian private eye Claude Chavasse (Maurice Chevalier) to find out who his wife (Lise Bourdin) is having an affair with. Claude investigates and tells Monsieur X that his wife is having an affair with a mature American Frank Flannagan (Gary Cooper) whose love affairs are well-publicized. Monsieur X threatens to kill Frank, but Claude's daughter Ariane (Audrey Hepburn) overhears the conversation and warns Frank. When she meets Frank, she entertains him with made-up tales of her own life as a "worldly" woman with many love conquests. Later, they meet again, and Frank still does not know Ariane's true identity but is intrigued and falling in love with her. To solve his dilemma, Frank hires Claude–who just happens to be Ariane's doting father–to find out who she really is. Although Claude is less than pleased with their relationship, will he really be able to bring an end to their romance?
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The Major and the Minor 1942 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Rita Johnson, Diana Lynn, Robert Benchley, Norma Varden, Will Wright, Edward Fielding, Charles Smith, Milton Kibbee
Billy Wilder made his directorial debut in this film about Susan Applegate (Ginger Rogers) who pretends to be a 12-year-old child so she can get a cheaper fare on the train. Once on board, she meets and falls in love with Major Philip Kirby (Ray Milland) who does not realize that she is a grown woman. A very good comedy, even today.
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One, Two, Three 1961 N/R, 115 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis, Howard St. John, Red Buttons, Leon Askin, Peter Capell, Henning Schluter
Capitalism vs. Communism is the theme of this comedy involving a Coca Cola executive (James Cagney) working in West Berlin and his rise to the top. His best-laid plans go awry when the daughter (Pamela Tiffin) of his boss (Howard St. John) steps into his life with plans to marry a Communist hippie (Horst Buchholz).
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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes 1970 PG, 125 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely, Genevieve Page, Christopher Lee, Tamara Toumanova, Clive Revill, Irene Handl, Stanley Holloway, Mollie Maureen, Catherine Lacey
This Billy Wilder film is effective as it studies the famed sleuth, though it is often slow-paced. In it, he solves several cases to the amazement of Dr. Watson, but not to the amazement of the audience.
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Sabrina 1954 N/R, 113 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, William Holden, Walter Hampden, John Williams, Martha Hyer, Joan Vohs, Francis X. Bushman, Marcel Dalio, Nella Walker, Marcel Hillaire, Ellen Corby, Marjorie Bennett, Emory Parnell, Nancy Kulp
Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) is the daughter of the Larrabee family's chauffeur. Unsophisticated Sabrina falls in love with David Larrabee (William Holden) who does not return her affections–until she returns from a Paris cooking school and has become a sophisticated woman. In addition to an Academy Award for Costume Design, the film received five nominations, including Best Actress (Hepburn) and Director.
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 The Seven Year Itch 1955 N/R, 105 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tom Ewell, Evelyn Keyes, Butch Bernard, Sonny Tufts, Robert Strauss, Oskar Homolka, Marguerite Chapman, Victor Moore, Donald MacBride
After seven years of marriage, Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) and his wife (Evelyn Keyes) say a short goodbye as she leaves to spend the summer in the coolness of Maine, and he resolves to spend a boring summer in the city. Boredom is thrown to the wind when Richard meets a neighbor (Marilyn Monroe). Tom Ewell: "What happened at the office? Well, I shot Mr. Brady in the head, made violent love to Miss Morris, and set fire to 300,000 copies of 'Little Women'."
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 Some Like It Hot 1959  N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance / Musical
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee, Pat O'Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, George E. Stone, Billy Gray, Dave(1) Barry, Mike Mazurki, Harry Wilson, Beverly Wills, Tom Kennedy
Two out-of-work musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and must escape from Chicago. Their vehicle is an all-girl band, which they join disguised as women. The fun begins as they hop on a train with their fellow band members and must keep up the disguise. Marilyn Monroe: "I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop." The film won an Oscar for Best Costume Design and was nominated for five others, including Best Actor (Lemmon) and Director. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | Curtis & Lemmon really make the movie entertaining | Anonymous 10/15/2007 | | |
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Spirit of St. Louis 1957 N/R, 138 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: James Stewart, Marc Connelly, Patricia Smith, Murray Hamilton, Bartlett Robinson, Robert Cornthwaite, Arthur Space, Sheila Bond, Harlan Warde, Dabbs Greer
This is the story about Charles Lindbergh's trials and tribulations when he became the first man to fly solo on his 33 1/2-hour, 3,600-mile flight from New York to Paris in 1927.
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 Stalag 17 1953 N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Richard Erdman, Peter Graves, Neville Brand, Sig Ruman, Peter Baldwin, Michael(2) Moore, Robinson Stone, Gil Stratton, William Pierson, Robert Shawley
William Holden captured the Oscar for his portrayal of Sefton, a P.O.W., suspected of collaborating with his Nazi captors. Intrigue continues throughout as clues are dropped that lead to the identity of the real informer. Oscar nominations were received for Best Supporting Actor (Robert Strauss) and Director.
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Sunset Blvd. 1950 N/R, 111 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
aka: Sunset Boulevard
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Webb, Fred Clark, Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton, Lloyd Gough, Franklyn Farnum, Larry J. Blake, Charles Dayton, Anna Q. Nisson, H.B. Warner
Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) is an aging ex-Hollywood star who longs for a comeback. Aspiring screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) recognizes her weaknesses and moves into her home by flattering her with stories of her future regained stardom. In addition to three Oscars (Best Writing, Art Direction/Set Decoration, and Musical Score), the film received eight nominations, including Best Picture, Actor (Holden), Actress (Swanson), Supporting Actress and Actor (Nancy Olson and Erich von Stroheim), and Director.
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 Witness for the Prosecution 1957  N/R, 114 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller / Mystery
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Tyrone Power, Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Elsa Lanchester, John Williams, Henry Daniell, Una O'Connor, Ian Wolfe, Torin Thatcher, Norma Varden, Philip Tonge, Ruta Lee, Francis Compton, Ben Wright, J. Pat O'Malley
This classic Agatha Christie story takes place largely in a courtroom where aging lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) is defending Leonard Steven Vole (Tyrone Power) against the charge of murder. Robarts, who is cared for by aggressive nurse Miss Plimsoll (Elsa Lanchester), is convinced that his client is innocent but bases his belief on Vole's sole alibi that is backed up by Vole's wife Christine (Marlene Dietrich). Surprises are in store for Robarts when Christine announces that she is, in fact, not married to Leonard and testifies for the prosecution. And that is only one of the surprises in store for Robarts. Some great performances, and Oscar nominations included Best Picture, Actor (Laughton), Supporting Actress (Lanchester), and Director. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | Tracey 01/07/2007 | | It was a very well acted movie. It is a stunning courtroom drama with a surprising ending. If you like Hitchcock type endings you'll love this one! |
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| Oscars: Best Director for The Lost Weekend (1945), Best Director for The Apartment (1960) |
1. Ace in the Hole (1951)
aka: The Big Carnival
2. The Apartment (1960)
3. Avanti! (1972)
4. Buddy Buddy (1981)
5. Double Indemnity (1944)
6. The Emperor Waltz (1948)
7. Fedora (1978)
8. Five Graves to Cairo (1943)
9. A Foreign Affair (1948)
10. The Fortune Cookie (1966)
11. The Front Page (1974)
12. Irma la Douce (1963)
13. Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
14. The Lost Weekend (1945)
15. Love in the Afternoon (1957)
16. The Major and the Minor (1942)
17. One, Two, Three (1961)
18. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
19. Sabrina (1954)
20. The Seven Year Itch (1955)
21. Some Like It Hot (1959)
22. Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
23. Stalag 17 (1953)
24. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
aka: Sunset Boulevard
25. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
In The News
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