by Ed Sikov
471 “I feel more secure …”: London Times, Sept. 25, 1970.
471 “To a visitor …”: Trauner and Berthomé, p. 5 (from the introduction by Billy Wilder).
471 “I always ask directors …”, “Our big problem …”, and “It was a rather …”: Trauner and Berthomé, pp. 160–65.
473 Note on Nestor: As a policeman, the moralistic Nestor makes such a mess of his job that he is fired. He turns to Irma out of desperation; she’s his only friend. Nestor takes over the role of Irma’s mec after knocking Hippolyte out more or less by accident. To keep Irma happy, however, he decides to masquerade as Lord X and become her regular client; thus she may continue to earn her own living.
475 “Of course he was right…”: Previn, p. 118.
476 Censorship cuts: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
476 Wallis letter and response: AMPAS, Irma la Douce MPAA file.
477 “This was accomplished …”: Variety, Jan. 8, 1964.
477 “The truth is …”: Kanin, pp. 185–86.
477 “If I had my way …”: Lemon, p. 37.
477 Financial returns on Irma: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14; Balio, p. 171; Hollywood Reporter, April 13, 1966.
CHAPTER 26
478 “Nice little pictures …”: Kurnitz, p. 94.
478 Wilder’s new deal: Balio, p. 182.
478 “Unlike David Lean …”: Daily Mail (London), July 31, 1964.
479 Review of The Dazzling Hour: Variety, Aug. 5, 1953, p. 58.
480 “I admire elegant…”: Lemon, p. 38.
480 Trauner’s sets: Trauner and Berthomé, p. 166.
483 “Stars don’t mean a thing …”: Film Daily, Jan. 19, 1962; Tosches, p. 361.
483 “He’s a delicious and adorable …”: Ciment, Positif, Oct. 1970, pp. 5–17.
484 “There was a mute honesty …”: Thomson, pp. 412–13.
484 “They said she was difficult…”: Daily Mail (London), July 31, 1964.
485 “He is the only man in pictures …”: Kiss Me, Stupid pressbook, on file at the British Film Institute.
485 On Sellers: Simon, p. 183.
485 “The two directors I’ve always …”: Lewis, pp. 672–74.
486 “When you leave …”: Schumach, “The Wilder—and Funnier—Touch,” p. 30.
486 Sellers’s heart attack: Sun Telegraph (London), April 12, 1964.
487 “Well for Chrissake Jesus Christ…”: Tosches, p. 362.
487 “He was running …”: Wiley and Bona, p. 368.
488 “You have to have a heart…”: Simon, p. 183.
488 Ray Walston interview with the author, Oct. 27, 1997.
488 “Your contribution …”: Kleno, p. 209.
488 “Wanted it done with a slight look …”: Tosches, p. 363.
489 “Felicia Farr was really quite wonderful…”: Ray Walston interview with the author, Oct. 27, 1997.
491 Ad campaign: Kiss Me, Stupid pressbook, on file at the British Film Institute.
492 Meeting with Little, etc.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
492 “United Artists Reedits Wilder Pic …”: Variety, Oct. 21, 1964.
492 Novak cannot return: Variety, Dec. 9, 1964.
493 Further cuts: Variety, Nov. 25, 1964.
493 “Although it has a Code seal…”: Variety, Nov. 25, 1964.
493 On Lopert: Balio, p. 183.
493 Note on Never on Sunday: Although it was released in the States by Lopert/UA, Never on Sunday was still a Greek film, not a Hollywood film.
493 The Legion’s commentary and Variety coverage: Balio, p. 182; Variety, Dec. 9, 1964.
494 The press conference: Hollywood Reporter, Dec. 8, 1964.
494 “Dear Geoff” and response: AMPAS, MPAA Collection, Kiss Me, Stupid file.
495 Critics’ responses: Variety, Dec. 16, 1964; Time, Jan. 1, 1965; Christian Century, Feb. 3, 1965; New York Journal-American, Dec. 23, 1964; New York Herald Tribune, Dec. 23, 1964; New York Times, Dec. 23, 1964; New Yorker, Dec. 26, 1964.
495 Cancellations and boycotts: Exhibitor, June 2, 1965.
495 “I don’t know why the film shocked …”: Ciment, Positif, Oct. 1970, pp. 5–17.
496 “British Critics Hail…”: Variety, March 31, 1965.
496 “Kiss Me, Stupid shows Wilder …”: Didion, p. 97.
496 Wilder’s response to Didion: Lemon, p. 30.
496 “When I was lying in the gutter …” etc.: Lemon, pp. 30–32.
497 Wilder’s contract extension: Time, Jan. 1, 1965.
CHAPTER 27
499 “Before a fight…”: Lemon, pp. 38–39.
499 Sherlock reporting: Variety, May 19, 1965.
500 Wilder’s televisions: Lemon, p. 33.
500 About greed, love, etc.: Holtzman, p. 108.
500 Budget information: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 14.
500 “Why are you doing …”: Todd McCarthy, “AFI Lauds Jack Lemmon,” Variety, March 16, 1988, p. 6.
501 “Daughters of Israel Day Nursery …”: Thomson, p. 369.
501 “Before we put a word on paper …”: Turner, p, 20.
501 “He is a tall, loose-jointed man …”: Lemon, p. 34.
501 The Browns’ game: AMPAS, General Collection, The Fortune Cookie file, United Artists press kit.
501 “After my last picture …”: Lemon, p. 38.
502 Lemmon in the wheelchair: AMPAS, General Collection, The Fortune Cookie file, United Artists press kit.
503 “I thought it was a bomb …”: Lemon, pp. 38–39.
503 Cost and grosses: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3.
503 “I have been criticized …”: Lemon, p. 38.
503 William Paul on image-making: In conversation with the author and in unpublished lecture notes from Paul’s film classes at the University of Michigan.
507 “The virulent treatment…”: Morris, p. 36.
508 “The existence of overt homosexuality …”: Fiedler, p. 414–20.
508 Critics responses: New York Times, Oct. 20, 1966; New Yorker, Oct. 29, 1966; Kael, 5001 Nights, p. 197.
509 “The film didn’t impress the critics …”: Ciment, Positif, Oct. 1970, pp. 5–17.
509 On the Bistro and Sheinwold: Lemon, pp. 32–33.
510 “‘Once we arrived …’”: Previn, pp. 118–19.
510 “Speed is absolutely …”: Lemon, pp. 34–36.
510 Note on the new art: Specifically: Gustav Klimt’s Brustbild einer Dame im Profil nach links; Pierre Roy’s Physique amusant and Les papillons No. 1 and No. 2; Raoul Dufy’s Nature morte au poisson; Joseph Cornell’s “The Puzzle of the Reward #1”; Ben Nicholson’s Dec 61 (clay green); Larry Rivers’s Parts of the Body: Italian Vocabulary Lesson; Henry Moore’s Maquette for Head and Hand; and Saul Steinberg’s Government Regulations on Landscape Painting #5 and The Treaty of Accaonac Partition-Exile Regions-Forbidden Areas.
511 Note on The Count of Luxembourg: Wilder was not yet through with this idea. Kohner and Billy’s lawyer, Marvin Meyer, discussed the purchase of the rights in July on behalf of Phalanx for $100,000; there is no record of the sale having gone through, however. State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3; Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 2.
512 Note on Bryan Forbes: He is the British writer-director of King Rat (1965) and Of Human Bondage (1964), among other films.
512 Note on John Schlesinger: He had recently directed Darling (1965), which was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. State Histo
rical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 3.
512 “Pictures will be better …”: Daily Mail (London), July 31, 1964.
CHAPTER 28
513 “It’s not because you have talent…”: Tom Wood, p. 10.
513 “Billy used to say …”: Kanin, p. 180.
514 “A movie is a star vehicle …”: Lemon, p. 37.
514 “The star thing is changing…”: Roderick Mann, “Why Billy Wilder Forgets His Feuds,” Sunday Express, Feb. 18, 1968. Note on Bonnie and Clyde: The 1967 film catapulted Faye Dunaway into stardom, but Warren Beatty was already there—so much so that he could produce the film himself as well as star in it.
514 Lerner, Loewe, Hart collaboration: Zolotow, p. 323.
514 Kohner and Moreau: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 2.
514 Diamond departs: Zolotow, p. 324.
514 Kurnitz announced: Variety, Oct. 9, 1967.
515 Kohner and the agents: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 2.
515 “What I plan …”: Roderick Mann, “Why Billy Wilder Forgets His Feuds,” Sunday Express, Feb. 18, 1968.
515 “Neither nouvelle vague …”: Michael Billington, The Times (London), July 19, 1969.
515 “Some of these young guys …”: Roderick Mann, “Why Billy Wilder Forgets His Feuds,” Sunday Express, Feb. 18, 1968.
516 “I’m one of Billy Wilder’s greatest…”: The Times (London), April 30, 1968.
516 “We had one drink …”: Stephens, pp. 96–97.
518 Four movements: Cohn, pp. 49–50.
520 Budget of Holmes: Hollywood Reporter, May 5, 1969.
520 On Sanders: VanDerBeets, p. 192.
521 Diamond on the set: Gillett, Sight and Sound, p. 26; Interview with Ernest Walter, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes collector’s edition laserdisk, MGM/UA Entertainment, 1994.
521 “Love story between two men …”: Michael Billington, The Times (London), July 19, 1969.
521 “Come on! …”: Gillett, Sight and Sound, p. 26.
521 “Being put through the meat grinder …”: Stephens, p. 96.
521 “… do it with a whip …”: “Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy,” American Masters, PBS, 1998.
521 “We would spend hours …”: Stephens, p. 98.
522 Planting new grass: Clive Hirschorn, Sunday Express (London), Sept. 14, 1969.
522 Note on Stanley Holloway: He played Mr. Doolittle in My Fair Lady, in which he sings “I’m Getting Married in the Morning.”
522 “I asked him to reconstruct…”: Ciment, Positif 120, Oct. 1970, pp. 5–17.
523 Stephens’s illness announcement: Variety, Oct. 14, 1969.
523 “Billy was terribly upset…”: Stephens, p. 101.
524 Laughton and tears anecdotes: Iain Johnstone, “Billy Wilder in London,” The Listener, Nov. 13, 1969.
524 Withholding of ending: Mark Shivas, “Holmes with Vinegar,” Manchester Guardian, Nov. 24, 1969.
524 “We become aware of her deception …”: McBride and Wilmington, p. 48.
526 Wilder leaves England: Evening Standard, Dec. 11, 1969.
526 Rózsa and the score: Thomas, Tony, Music for the Movies, pp. 96–97; Rózsa, pp. 208–209.
527 “It depends on the percentage …”: The Times (London), March 16, 1970.
528 “Wasn’t done without resistance …”: Trauner and Berthomé, p. 184.
528 Gross: Lally, p. 373.
528 Kael on Sherlock: New Yorker, Nov. 14, 1970.
528 “It was only seven years ago …”: McBride and Wilmington, p. 46.
529 “I should have been more daring …”: Columbus, p. 28.
CHAPTER 29
533 Eames Chaise: Anon., “Anti-Casting Couch.” Time 95, Jan. 5, 1970, p. 37; Neuhart, Neuhart, and Eames, p. 339.
534 Avanti! plans: Hollywood Reporter, Feb. 6, 1968.
534 Taylor and Diamond: Turner, p. 19.
534 Epstein comes and goes: New York Times, Nov. 15, 1970; State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folder 5.
534 Vincenzoni and Manfredi: Variety, Aug. 4, 1971.
534 “At first…” and “It’s basically …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, pp. 4, 8.
535 “He went to Cornell …”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 14, folder 2.
535 “He starts to have doubts …” and “He starts to understand …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 5.
535 “One day I’m going to work with you …” and other Mills recollections: Juliet Mills interview with the author, July 2, 1997.
536 “We were lucky to find …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 5.
536 “Lovely, touching …”: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 14, folder 2.
537 “He’s a very good friend …”: Michel Ciment, “Entretien avec Billy Wilder,” Positif 155, Jan. 1974, pp. 6–8.
537 On intimacy of aspect ratio: Morris, p. 38.
537 “The air is Italian …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 6.
538 “The play is very different…”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 6.
538 “The film is something more …”: Farber, Film Quarterly, p. 51.
538 “It’s a montage …”: Ciment, Positif, Jan. 1974, p. 6.
540 Avanti! losses: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, United Artists Collection, Box 5, folders 3 and 5.
540 “Just too gentle …”: McBride and McCarthy, p. 44.
540 “Today you obviously …”: Voss, Feb. 7, 1973.
540 “Our ears have been dulled …” etc.: Wilder to Kenneth Geist, Oct. 11, 1972.
541 Wilder and Ford in Esquire: Berggren, pp. 134–35.
541 “Of course I was bitter …”: Voss, Feb. 7, 1973.
542 “There was a strike on …”: Roderick Mann, “Why Billy Wilder Went Out to Pick Up a Girl,” Sunday Express (London), Dec. 8, 1974.
542 Mankiewicz and The Front Page: Geist, p. 11.
542 Preparation of The Front Page: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 15, folders 3 and 4.
543 On Carol Burnett: Taraborelli, pp. 116, 300; Variety, April 25, 1974.
543 Lemmon, the Oscars, and poker: Wiley and Bona, pp. 492–93; Deutsch, p. 161.
544 “There aren’t many men …”: “Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy,” American Masters, PBS, 1998.
544 “He fired someone …”: Susan Sarandon interview with the author, Feb. 4, 1998.
545 “I always play Wilder …” etc.: McBride, Sight and Sound, p. 212.
545 “Billy Wilder said …”: Larry King Live, CNN, Dec. 7, 1996.
545 “Each scene that you do …”: “Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy,” American Masters, PBS, 1998.
545 Pendleton recollections: Austin Pendleton interview with the author, Jan. 27, 1998.
546 Note on Burnett story: Burnett said later that she liked the movie well enough, just not her own performance. Taraborelli, pp. 300–1.
546 On the Goldwyn fire: Variety, May 8, 1974.
547 “Things could have been worse …”: New Times, May 31, 1974.
548 Lemmon on overlapping dialogue: Wilmington, p. 18.
549 Critics’ responses: Variety, Dec. 9, 1974; Newsweek, Dec. 23, 1974; Time, Dec. 23, 1974.
549 “Predictably distinctive …”: Morris, p. 38.
549 “His was the case …”: Curtis, p. 197.
549 “… 140 penises”: McBride, Sight and Sound, p. 212.
550 “I was Steven Spielberg …”: Baxter, p. 115.
CHAPTER 30
551 Fedora announced: Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1976.
55
2 “They say Wilder is out of touch …”: McGee, p. 18.
552 “It’s Kafka …”: McBride and McCarthy, p. 42.
552 “I don’t know why …”: Sammlung Paul Kohner, Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, h. ss-88/1h-6, file 1.
552 Wilder invests in Fedora: McGee, p. 18.
553 “Look, I can’t lose …”: McBride and McCarthy, p. 42.
553 Garbo and Dietrich: Thomas, Golden Boy, p. 213; McBride and McCarthy, p. 44.
553 Foreskin Saga: McBride and McCarthy, p. 41.
553 “I had another idea …”: Ciment, Positif, Sept. 1978, p. 29.
553 “The old homosexual dream …” etc.: Ciment, Positif, Sept. 1978, pp. 30–31.
554 Script to Keller: Los Angeles Times, March 28, 1977.
554 “Her face was smashed up …”: McBride and McCarthy, p. 44.
554 “My only problem …”: Ciment, Positif, Sept. 1978, p. 34.
554 “You know why? …”: McGee, p. 19.
555 Viviani analysis of Fedora: Viviani, pp. 25–27.
556 “My original idea …”: Ciment, Positif, Sept. 1978, p. 33.
556 Walters and Peck: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 14, folders 6 and 7.
556 McGee’s research: From McGee’s tribute to Wilder at the 1991 Directors Guild awards dinner.
557 “With one tug …” etc.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research, I. A. L. Diamond Collection, Box 14, folder 6; McGee, pp. 19–20.
558 Keller, Holden, and Wilder: Mann, Roderick. “Wilder Tips His Hat to ‘Fedora’s’ Keller,” Los Angeles Times, March 16, 1978; Thomas, Golden Boy, p. 213.
558 Stogies: Mary Blume. “‘Fedora’: Walking on the Wilder Side,” Los Angeles Times, Oct. 2, 1977, p. 39.
558 Editor fired: McGee, p. 30.
559 Rising cost of Fedora: Variety, Aug. 10, 1977.
559 Wilder and Rózsa: McGee, p. 31.
560 “Forget Knef’s voice …”: McGee, p. 31.
560 “Informed sources say …”: Variety, Feb. 28, 1979.
561 “Perfunctory and insulting way …”: Harmetz, “At 73 …,” p. C12.
561 Adelson, Kohner, and preview: McGee, p. 32.
562 Cannes: Roderick Mann, “Wilder Tips His Hat to ‘Fedora’s’ Keller.” Los Angeles Times, March 16, 1978.
562 Critics’ responses: Hollywood Reporter, Nov. 28, 1978; New Yorker, April 23, 1979, p. 123; Sarris, Confessions, p. 242; Village Voice, April 16, 1979.
