

Billy Wilder 1961-1981 (The Old Man is Still Alive, Part 9)
Mar 11, 2025
Billy Wilder's cinematic evolution during the 1960s and 70s showcases his daring shift from accoladed films to more controversial themes. The podcast highlights his bold collaborations with I.A. Diamond and stories like 'One, Two, Three' that critique capitalism. It dives into 'Avanti,' exploring romance and social expectations, as well as the late work 'Fedora,' which reflects Wilder's feelings of obsolescence in a changing Hollywood. These topics reveal Wilder's fearless engagement with the cultural landscape of his time.
01:10:15
Wilder's Post-Oscar Weirdness
- Billy Wilder won three Oscars for The Apartment in 1960, marking the peak of his career.
- His subsequent films, however, deviated from Academy-approved material, becoming more cynical and vulgar.
Wilder's Late-Career Themes
- Wilder's later films reflected changing times and his shifting position within Hollywood.
- Avanti and Fedora echoed themes from The Apartment and Sunset Boulevard, respectively, showcasing his evolving perspective.
Wilder's Writing Partnerships
- Wilder's career is divided by writing partners: Charles Brackett and I.A. Diamond.
- Brackett, a conservative force, clashed with Wilder politically, while Diamond offered creative liberation.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
Billy Wilder: A Cinematic Evolution
02:48 • 8min
The Evolution of Billy Wilder's Cinema: Freedom and Perception in Changing Times
10:51 • 3min
Wilder and Cagney: A Comic Critique of Capitalism
13:35 • 11min
Breaking Boundaries and Embracing Risks
24:10 • 2min
The Complex Narrative of 'Avanti': A Journey Through Romance and Social Critique
26:34 • 13min
Reflections on Remakes and Shifting Cinematic Landscapes
40:02 • 5min
Wilder's Reflection in Fedora
44:44 • 24min
Engagement and Support for the Podcast
01:08:26 • 2min

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Hollywood’s 1960s began with Billy Wilder winning three Oscars for The Apartment. But Wilder’s biggest success would also prove to be his last film to be afforded such respectability, as Wilder largely abandoned the type of material that the Academy embraced, and veered gleefully into disreputability. Of the 9 films Wilder made in the 20 years after The Apartment, in this episode we’ll pay special attention to three that were engaged with the rapidly changing culture – in Hollywood and beyond: One, Two, Three (1961); Avanti (1972); and Fedora (1978).
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