European Directors in American Cinematography
It might be said that Hollywood's most generous benefactor was Adolf Hitler," film historian
Tony Thomas has written. "The Nazi regime forced numerous directors to find their way to
California." When Hitler came to power in 1933, he "put into action policies of extreme
nationalism. As a scapegoat for Germany's political, military, and economic troubles of the
previous fifteen years, Hitler targeted Jews," Giannetti and Eyman point out. "After May,
1933, when he became chancellor, prescient Jewish Germans began packing their bags, for
under the Nazis no Jew could be employed in any branch of the film industry." As a matter of
fact, many European filmmakers were forced to flee their homelands in the wake of the rise
of Hitler; they subsequently enriched the American motion picture industry with a reservoir
of new talent that had been nurtured in Europe. And so, the Wilders and the other European
exiles remained in Hollywood and contributed to American movies their technical and
artistic talent for filmmaking. Film historian Robert Sklar writes, "It's hard to imagine the
shape of American cinema without the contribution of these exiles.”
Fritz Lang, William Wyler, Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann, and Otto Preminger and many
others - they each had the profound effect on American popular cinema, as well as
Hollywood changed them. Wilder and Preminger made key contributions to film noir and
later battled the censors and the studios for their “American” coyness around the topic of
sex; Zinnemann, an ex-cameraman, transfused the poetic realism of his documentary,
People on Sunday (made in Berlin with Wilder and Robert Siodmak), into postwar works
such as Act of Violence and The Men; while Lang sprinkled even his sunlit Westerns with
bleak fatalism and paranoia. They were distinctive directors and changed American cinema,
and by and large they didn’t return home.
We are going to talk about William Wyler. A pillar of the American film industry, William Wyler
directed some of the best loved movies of his time. Known for his sensitive direction of great
actors, he worked with some of the best, including John Barrymore, Bette Davis, Humphry
Bogart, and Myrna Loy. Today he is considered both a master director and a substantial
influence on American culture.
Born to Jewish parents in Germany in 1902, Wyler became interested in American culture at
an early age. His cousin, Carl Laemmle, was the head of Universal Pictures, and in 1920
brought Wyler to America. Before long he was living in Hollywood and working on films.
Within five years he was an assistant director, concentrating much of his energy on short
Westerns.
By the early 1930s, Wyler had begun to direct features, and with COUNSELOR-AT-LAW
(1933) he received his first taste of success. Centered around a New York lawyer, the film
distinguished itself through subtle and moving cinematography. He followed it two years
later with two films, a comedy written by Preston Sturges called THE GOOD FAIRY, and THE
GAY DECEPTION (1935). By 1936, Wyler had teamed up with Samuel Goldwin to make the
film, THESE THREE. This film would mark the beginning of an often difficult yet incredibly
successful collaboration between the two men. The following year they made DODSWORTH,
a film that dealt with a decaying marriage, and in 1937 DEAD END, about life in the slums.
Throughout the mid and late 1930s Wyler was consistently experimenting with the
technologies of filmmaking while maintaining great concern for the integrity of the actors’
performances.
Working with Bette Davis throughout the early 1940s, Wyler created such classic films as
THE LETTER(1940) and THE LITTLE FOXES (1941). Both intense and serious dramas, they
expressed a sense of emotional and dramatic depth unlike many films that had come before.
Wyler’s technical precision, his ability to display the meaningful angle of a profound
moment, gave each actor a depth that allowed them to create more realistic characters.
During the mid-1940s, Wyler was in the Army, where he made a number of documentaries.
Before leaving for the service he had had his most popular film, MRS. MINIVER, and upon
returning he made what is considered his best, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946). Both
about wartime, MRS. MINIVER dealt with the lives of the British during the war, while THE
BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES hit home with a serious look at the lives of three veterans
returning home from the war.
For Wyler, the 1950s were a time of great achievement. With ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953), he
not only directed a significant and popular film, he first presented Audrey Hepburn to an
American audience. With major releases such as THE DESPERATE HOURS (1955) and THE BIG
COUNTRY (1958), he set the scene for his unprecedented success with a re-make of BENHUR (1959). Like most of his work, BEN-HUR was more than an entertaining and visually
engaging film — it was deeply crafted on every level, from the writing to the acting to the
very smallest parts of the set. It won eleven Oscars and remains a classic today.
Throughout the 1960s Wyler continued to make films including THE COLLECTOR (1965) and
FUNNY GIRL (1968) starring Barbara Streisand in her film debut. Already in his late sixties,
Wyler directed THE LIBERATION OF L.B. JONES (1970) about racism in a southern town. Soon
after, he retired, and in 1981 he passed away. Acknowledged by the Academy Awards and
filmmakers everywhere for his lifetime commitment to the highest quality filmmaking,
William Wyler stands out as a major source in history of the American dramatic cinema.
Filmography (As Director)
Crook Buster (1925)
The Gunless Bad Man (1926)
Ridin’ for Love (1926)
The Fire Barrier (1926)
Don’t Shoot (1926)
The Pinnacle Rider (1926)
Martin of the Mounted (1926)
Lazy Lightning (1926)
The Stolen Ranch (1926)
The Two Fister (1927)
Kelcy Gets His Man (1927)
Tenderfoot Courage (1927)
The Silent Partner (1927)
Blazing Days (1927)
Shooting Straight (1927)
Galloping Justice (1927)
The Haunted Homestead (1927)
Hard Fists (1927)
The Lone Star (1927)
The Ore Raiders (1927)
The Home Trail (1927)
Gun Justice (1927)
The Phantom Outlaw (1927)
The Square Shooter (1927)
The Horse Trader (1927)
Daze of the West (1927)
The Border Cavalier (1927)
Desert Dust (1927)
Thunder Riders (1928)
Anybody Here Seen Kelly? (1928)
The Shakedown (1929)
The Love Trap (1929)
Hell’s Heroes (1930)
The Storm (1930)
A House Divided (1931)
Tom Brown of Culver (1932)
Her First Mate (1933)
Counsellor at Law (1933)
Glamour (1934)
The Good Fairy (1935)
The Gay Deception (1935)
Barbary Coast (1935) part – replaced by Howard Hawks
These Three (1936)
Dodsworth (1936)
Come and Get It (1936) part – began by Howard Hawks, completed by Wyler
Dead End (1937)
Jezebel (1938)
Wuthering Heights (1939)
The Westerner (1940)
The Letter (1940)
The Little Foxes (1941)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)
The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944)
The Fighting Lady (1944)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Thunderbolt (1947)
The Heiress (1949)
Detective Story (1951)
Carrie (1952)
Roman Holiday (1953)
“Producers’ Showcase” (1954) television series
The Desperate Hours (1955)
Friendly Persuasion (1956)
The Big Country (1958)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Children’s Hour (1961)
The Collector (1965)
How to Steal a Million (1966)
Funny Girl (1968)
The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970)
Roman Holiday (1953)
Directed by
Produced by
Screenplay by
Starring
Music by
Release date
Running time
William Wyler
William Wyler
Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter
Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn
Georges Auric, Victor Young
August 27, 1953
118 minutes
Plot
Princess Anne embarks on a highly publicized tour of European capitals. When she and
her royal entourage arrive in Rome, she begins to rebel against her restricted, regimented
schedule. One night Anne sneaks out of her room, hops into the back of a delivery truck and
escapes her luxurious confinement. However, a sedative she was forced to take earlier starts
to take effect, and the Princess is soon fast asleep on a public bench. She is found by Joe
Bradley, an American newspaper reporter stationed in Rome. He takes her back to his
apartment. The next morning Joe dashes off to cover the Princess Anne press conference,
unaware that she is sleeping on his couch. Once he realizes his good fortune, Joe promises
his editor an exclusive interview with the Princess.
Tasks for Discussion
I. Answer the questions:
1) Give the main characters’ names.
2) Name the title of the newspaper where the hero worked.
3) Where did Ann go to after leaving the reporter?
4) How did Irving hide his camera?
5) Where characters met the government agents?
6) Princess Ann wants to shake off her responsibilities, and have the freedom to peruse
her own interests. Similarly, Joe Bradley doesn’t want to be tied to higher principles
when seeking career success and monetary gain. How does their relationship cause each
of them to reevaluate how they should act, and what their most important priorities
should be?
II. Write your impression about the ending? And what do you think about Ann’s last
words:
- Which of the cities visited did Your Highness enjoy the most?
- Each, in its own way, was unforgettable. It would be difficult to — Rome! By all
means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.
III. Choose one of the European director in American cinema and write about him:
 short biography
 filmography
 awards