Illicit Love on Sinister Staircases: Two Friends Discuss the Films of Billy Wilder

Illicit Love on Sinister Staircases: Two Friends Discuss the Films of Billy WilderWith a career spanning nearly 50 years and 27 films, director Billy Wilder left an indelible mark on film and American pop culture in general. Four of his greatest films Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, The Apartment, and The Lost Weekend have become iconic cornerstones of cinema. His work with Marilyn Monroe crafted her most iconic image, while his films with Jack Lemmon, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau and William Holden helped to make the actors

With a career spanning nearly 50 years and 27 films, director Billy Wilder left an indelible mark on film and American pop culture in general. Four of his greatest films-- Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, The Apartment, and The Lost Weekend-- have become iconic cornerstones of cinema. His work with Marilyn Monroe crafted her most iconic image, while his films with Jack Lemmon, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau and William Holden helped to make the actors into legends. More than that, though, his films routinely tested the boundaries of and defined mid-century America, creating a body of work that is admired and emulated to this day.

Two devotees of his works, Danny Reid and Ryan Rinchiuso, now go through each of his films, dissecting their themes, motifs and lessons. From Mauvise Graine in 1934 to Buddy Buddy in 1981, they explore each of the master's works with equal doses of admiration, thoughtfulness, and humor.