Billy Wilder, American Film Realist

Born in Austria but named after Buffalo Bill, Billy Wilder arrived in Hollywood thoroughly versed in American culture - and promptly began turning out movies more "American" in setting and sensibility than those helmed by his homegrown colleagues. Works like Double Indemnity and Sunset Blvd. remain classics today for their hard-edged and powerful portrayals of modern life in Wilder's adopted country. Even comedies like The Seven-Year Itch and Some Like it Hot shine with Wilder's keen perceptions of American life. Billy Wilder, American Film Realist closely examines a selection of Wilder's films from 1941 through 1981. These films show Wilder at his best - as a hardworking Hollywood craftsman and an astute commentator on the "American Century."