The Billy Wilder DVD Collection (1954)

This boxed set shows the many moods of director Billy Wilder from luxurious cynicism to spiky romance. He's teamed up for all three pictures with William Holden and the two are perfectly tuned to each other's sardonic intelligence. Actually Holden was a last-minute replacement in Sunset Boulevard when Montgomery Clift abruptly backed out of the project. Holden plays a hard-luck screenwriter who takes refuge in the home of a deluded silent-movie star (played by Gloria Swanson); we know this because his corpse is telling us the story. The 1950 film is one of the great decayed mansions of Hollywood cinema a fully imagined look at the souring of the American Dream. And of course a poison-pen letter to the movie business--Wilder took pleasure in biting the hand that fed him.Stalag 17 (1953) won the Best Actor Oscar® for Holden although it's a less complex piece of work than Sunset Boulevard. It is however thoroughly entertaining with a seamless blend of suspense (who in the POW camp is betraying secrets to the Germans?) and raucous comedy. Sixties-TV fans will quickly spot the similarity with the Bob Crane sitcom Hogan's Heroes. Otto Preminger himself a director creates a suave piece of villainy as the German camp commandant. In Sabrina (1954) Holden is a blond fatuous younger brother to staid businessman Humphrey Bogart--but they both do supporting work to Audrey Hepburn. This is one of her great vehicles and she inspires Wilder to show more of his romantic side. As the chauffeur's daughter who dreams of mingling with the beautiful people Hepburn shines in the lush glow of moonlight and "Isn't it Romantic?" and the movie finds a zone of pure pleasure. (Robert Horton)System Requirements:Running Time: 342 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 097360484748 Manufacturer No: 048474 Product Description

He Left Us Too Soon

Billy Wilder died earlier this year at 95 years old, and it was still too soon. A shame that Hollywood left him after "Buddy Buddy," to spend the last twenty years of his life pining for a movie production that never came his way.
These three movies represent Wilder in his heydey at Paramount Pictures, and also his three best with William Holden, who was just at home playing it straight or wisecracking. Sure, I'd like to see "The Apartment," and "Some Like It Hot" on this collection, but those were released by United Artists, so those would be released by MGM, not Paramount anyhow.

These three movies really hold their own, even -- or rather, especially -- today. "Sunset Boulevard" is one of the darkest of black comedies, and a really disturbing portrait of Hollywood has-been Norma Desmond and Holden as her kept man screenwriter, who's been hired to bring her out of mothballs. Chilling last line: "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. deMille."

"Stalag 17" is a nice mix of serious war movie interspersed with slapstick humour. Though Holden is great, his supporting cast almost steal the show, especially Sig Ruman as Sergeant Schultz, the camp guard, Otto Preminger as Commandant von Scherbach and Harvey Lembeck and Robert Strauss as the camp cutups, Harry Shapiro and "The Animal."

"Sabrina" is a beautiful portrait of a young Audrey Hepburn, so vivacious and full of wondrous energy. Though she's a bit self-aware in her role, her charm still just carries you away. Holden is in a supporting role here, but Humphrey Bogart comes off as a bit stiff. Really, though, it's Audrey's movie from beginning to end, and the romantic-comedy script by Ernest Lehman and Samuel Taylor has wit and panache.

However, his greatest movie from this era -- "Ace In the Hole," with Kirk Douglas -- is not included. It wouldn't be until this past summer that this classic would be released in ANY video format, this time on DVD, by Criterion Collection, not Paramount. Definitely worth checking out to complete your 1950s Wilder/Paramount collection.

I own all three movies separately, but this set is worth laying down your Benjamins in one fell swoop. December 6, 2007

The Wild Billy Wilder

The movies chosen to present this trio of Wilder films are all excellent in their own genre. Not only are Sunset Blvd., Stalag 17, and Sabrina "true classics",but the extra bonus features
take you inside the set and inside the mind of Billy Wilder. The well spoken narrative on all three films is not only intelligent but enlightening as well. You can really benefit by watching all three films "as they are", but then again
WITH the narrative because it is then that you learn how Wilder worked and got the best performances out of his splendid cast of actors. Bette Davis
once said that Billy Wilder was the ONLY director she worked with who knew what he was doing. The astonishing performance of the 50ish Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. is truly
amazing in itself. Of the three THAT one's my personal favorite.
William Holden fans will be delighted to know that he is in all three movies!! Was there any sweeter girl than Audrey Hepburn (Sabrina)? She wins your heart as does the character in that movie played by Humphrey Bogart whose subtle turn is quite noteworthy. May 19, 2007

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