Jack Lemmon in The Apartment. 1960. USA. Directed by Billy Wilder
These notes accompany screenings of Billy Wilder’s </em>The Apartment</a> on June 19, 20, and 21 in Theater 3.</p>
The Apartment won three Oscars for Billy Wilder as producer, director, and co-screenwriter.
Paris Belongs to Us. 1961. France. Directed by Jacques Rivette
These notes accompany screenings of Jacques Rivette’s </em>Paris Belongs to Us</a> on June 12, 13, and 14 in Theater 3.</p>
Jacques Rivette, who recently celebrated his 85th birthday—and is still active—seems to me to be one of the most uneven, and certainly less prolific, of the major figures to come out of the French New Wave.
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond. 1960. USA. Directed by Budd (Oscar) Boetticher
These notes accompany screenings of Budd Boetticher’s </em>The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond</a> on May 29 and 30 in Theater 1.</p>
Oscar “Budd” Boetticher (1916–2001) is one of those directors who would likely have been all but ignored by film historians—if Andrew Sarris had not succeeded in making auteur theory prominent.
Il Grido. 1957. Italy. Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Il Grido (The Cry) catches Michelangelo Antonioni (1912–2007) in transition from his Neorealist roots to his more personal, despairing vision.
The Lawless. 1950. USA. Directed by Joseph Losey
These notes accompany the screenings of Joseph Losey’s </i>The Lawless</a> on April 4, 5, and 6 in Theater 3.</p>
Duel in the Sun. 1946. USA. Directed by King Vidor
Henry V. 1944. Great Britain. Directed by Laurence Olivier
These notes accompany the screenings of Laurence Olivier’s Henry V on August 10, 11, and 12 in Theater 3.
I can’t recall an image of an auteur in action that is as stirringly visceral, dynamic, and, frankly, sexy, as Laurence Olivier’s Prince Hal in tights, rousing his army at Agincourt. (Mom, I don’t want to be cowboy or a policeman. I want to grow up to be an auteur!)
The Southerner. 1945. USA. Directed by Jean Renoir
Jean Renoir (1894–1979) made six films during his American exile—all of them worthy projects—but the consensus is that The Southerner is the best.
Meet Me in St. Louis. 1944. USA. Directed by Vincente Minnelli
These notes accompany the screenings of Vincente Minnelli’s </i>Meet Me in St. Louis</a> on July 27, 28, and 29 in Theater 2.</p>
Over the years, I have had three close friends who were so devoted to Vincente Minnelli (1903–1986) that they wrote extensively about the Meet Me in St. Louis director.
Laura. 1944. USA. Directed by Otto Preminger
Last week I mildly berated Andrew Sarris for pretty much ignoring Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger in his auteurist bible, The American Cinema. This week, with Laura by Otto Preminger (1905–1986), we have an example of just how influential Sarris was and is.
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