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A review by christinecc
Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge by Joseph McBride
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Joseph McBride's "Billy Wilder" is a must-must-must-have for anyone who enjoys classic Hollywood cinema.
Of course the book focuses on Billy Wilder and his life's work, but what I really loved about it was how it painted the backdrop to Wilder's career and fleshed out its context.
McBride goes into Wilder's era, the cultural nuances of his travels growing up, his experience as Jewish man during the rise of fascism, and how the tragic murder of his family during the Holocaust affected him both personally and professionally. Once Wilder makes it to Hollywood, the book discusses Wilder's early influences, how his work as a journalist informed his films, the crossover of his German-language work and later English-language scripts (plus the language barrier issue altogether), his collaborators, his idols and mentors, the projects he loved and those that didn't live up to his expectations--and even the movies he wished he had written and sought to emulate in his own style (which is basically how art works, and McBride takes us right into the heart of the process). This is a master class in Wilder's craft and how it gave us the unforgettable movies we love to this day.
While you don't have to be an aficionado to enjoy this book, there were times when a chapter would focus on one or two movies that I hadn't seen, especially Wilder's early stuff, and I sensed these parts would have been more enjoyable if I HAD seen the films in question. So as you go through this, don't be afraid to browse the TCM catalogue online or rent a movie or two. Wilder is one of the best writers of his time, and you won't regret pairing this book with some audio-visual aid.
Recommended if you're a movie enthusiast or a Wilder fan, or if you want to break into either of these two groups. Anyone interested in the midcentury Hollywood studio system would also love this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Of course the book focuses on Billy Wilder and his life's work, but what I really loved about it was how it painted the backdrop to Wilder's career and fleshed out its context.
McBride goes into Wilder's era, the cultural nuances of his travels growing up, his experience as Jewish man during the rise of fascism, and how the tragic murder of his family during the Holocaust affected him both personally and professionally. Once Wilder makes it to Hollywood, the book discusses Wilder's early influences, how his work as a journalist informed his films, the crossover of his German-language work and later English-language scripts (plus the language barrier issue altogether), his collaborators, his idols and mentors, the projects he loved and those that didn't live up to his expectations--and even the movies he wished he had written and sought to emulate in his own style (which is basically how art works, and McBride takes us right into the heart of the process). This is a master class in Wilder's craft and how it gave us the unforgettable movies we love to this day.
While you don't have to be an aficionado to enjoy this book, there were times when a chapter would focus on one or two movies that I hadn't seen, especially Wilder's early stuff, and I sensed these parts would have been more enjoyable if I HAD seen the films in question. So as you go through this, don't be afraid to browse the TCM catalogue online or rent a movie or two. Wilder is one of the best writers of his time, and you won't regret pairing this book with some audio-visual aid.
Recommended if you're a movie enthusiast or a Wilder fan, or if you want to break into either of these two groups. Anyone interested in the midcentury Hollywood studio system would also love this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Genocide, Antisemitism, and Death of parent