 Ben-Hur 1959  N/R, 211 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Sam Jaffe, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Finlay Currie, Frank Thring, Terence Longdon, George Relph, Andre Morell, Ferdy Mayne, Tutte Lemkow
Remember the famous Chariot Race where one of the extras forgot to take off his watch? That seems to be the only flaw in this epic film that won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture. Charlton Heston also won for Best Actor as the Jewish Prince Judah Ben-Hur whose life story is told in tandem with the life of Jesus. Other Oscars included Best Director and Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith).
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The Best Years of Our Lives 1946  N/R, 172 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnell, Gladys George, Ray Collins, Roman Bohnen, Minna Gombell
This Best Picture Oscar winner tells the story of three WWII soldiers who come home and find that they can't just pick up where they left off. A classic film in which Harold Russell, an actual veteran, made history by winning two Oscars for one role (Best Supporting Actor Oscar and a Special Award Oscar). William Wyler also took home an Oscar for his directing, as did Fredric March for Best Actor. There were three other Oscars awarded. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | Worth its Three Oscars | 1fatts 04/13/2009 | It would be hard to overstate the importance of this film, not simply as a Hollywood triumph: Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor -- but as an intelligent, sensitive portrayal of the America the GIs returned to when WW2 was over.
Our protagonists, every one of them, are imperfect, each of them made both better and more fragile by what they had seen and what they had done. The struggle to rebuild lives and to come to grips with had been left behind never to be found again, is moving and. finally, compellng and believable. The complexity of Fredrick March's character is wonderful: deep nobility and vulnerability co-existing in what is ultimately a real human being.
A trreasure. |
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The Big Country 1958  N/R, 166 min.
Genre: Western / Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, Chuck Connors, Alfonso Bedoya, Chuck Hayward, Dorothy Adams
James McKay (Gregory Peck) is a sea captain from the East who heads to the West and finds himself involved in the feud of his fiancee Pat's (Carroll Baker) family. Pat's father, Major Henry Terrill (Charles Bickford), is in the middle of a power struggle with his neighbor Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives) over water rights. In the midst of the feuding, James and Pat grow apart, and James falls in love with schoolmarm Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons). By story's end, the Major and Hannassey have shot and killed each other, Julie and James are together on her ranch, and Pat and her ranch foreman (Charlton Heston) are living happily ever after. Burl Ives won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
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 Carrie 1952 N/R, 118 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Jennifer Jones, Miriam Hopkins, Eddie Albert, Mary Murphy, Basil Ruysdael, Ray Teal, Barry Kelley, Don Beddoe, Royal Dano, Sara Berner, William Reynolds, Walter Baldwin, Harry Hayden, Charles Halton
Based on Theodore Dreiser's novel, "Sister Carrie," this is the story of Carrie Meeber's (Jennifer Jones) rise in social status with the help of cultured George Hurstwood (Laurence Olivier) who throws caution to the wind as he gives his money away to promote the welfare of Carrie.
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The Children's Hour 1961  N/R, 109 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: The Loudest Whisper
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica Cartwright, Hope Summers, Mimi Gibson, William Mims
This film adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play is the story of two teachers (Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine) who are accused of being lesbians. The film received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress (Fay Bainter).
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The Collector 1965  N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Mona Washbourne, Maurice Dallimore, William Beckley, Gordon Barclay, David Haviland
It is not always good to win lotteries. When Freddie Clegg (Terence Stamp) wins enough money for retirement, he moves to the country to collect butterflies. Unfortunately for Miranda Grey (Samantha Eggar), he decides to extend his collection to include her. Undaunted by Miranda's death during an escape attempt, Freddie determines to replace her with another specimen. Eerie stuff.
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Come and Get It 1936 N/R, 99 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: Roaring Timbers
Director: Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson, William Wyler
Cast: Edward Arnold, Frances Farmer, Walter Brennan, Joel McCrea, Frank Shields, Andrea Leeds, Mary Nash, Clem Bevans, Edwin Maxwell, Cecil Cunningham
Walter Brennan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in this film that was based on Edna Ferber's novel. The story begins with two loggers (Edward Arnold and Brennan) and follows their lives and conflicts.
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 Dead End 1937 N/R, 93 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, Wendy Barrie, Claire Trevor, Marjorie Main, Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan
New York's lower East Side is the setting for this insightful film about the escape from poverty through crime. This was the film debut of the Dead End Kids, which evolved into the East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys.
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The Desperate Hours 1955 N/R, 112 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, Arthur Kennedy, Martha Scott, Dewey Martin, Gig Young, Mary Murphy, Robert Middleton, Ray Collins, Whit Bissell, Richard Eyer, Alan Reed, Bert Freed, Ray Teal, Michael Moore
With Deputy Sheriff Bard (Arthur Kennedy) on their trail, three escaped convicts–Glen (Humphrey Bogart), Hal (Dewey Martin), and Sam (Robert Middleton) use the Hilliard Familys'–Emily (Martha Scott), her husband Dan (Fredric March), and their children Cindy (Mary Murphy), and Ralph (Richard Eyer)–home as their hideout. Knowing that if he contacts the police, his family's lives will be in danger, Dan plays along with the convicts' demands. But, how long will Dan go along with their demands before reaching the breaking point?
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Detective Story 1951 N/R, 105 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Lee Grant, Cathy O'Donnell, George Macready, Horace McMahon, Gladys George, Frank Faylen, Joseph Wiseman, William "Bill" Phillips, Gerald Mohr, Craig Hill, Bert Freed, Luis Van Rooten
One day in a New York City police precinct station is examined in this film which features James McLeod (Kirk Douglas) as an overworked cop whose stress is compounded by problems with his wife (Eleanor Parker). The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Actress (Parker), Supporting Actress (Lee Grant, as a nervous shoplifter in her film debut) and Director.
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Dodsworth 1936 N/R, 101 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor, Paul Lukas, David Niven, Spring Byington, Maria Ouspenskaya, Kathryn Marlow, John Payne, Gregory Gaye, Horace B. Carpenter, Odette Myrtil, Harlan Briggs, Gino Corrado, Inez Palange
This film adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' novel is well directed and acted. It is the story of the 20-year marriage of Sam (Walter Huston) and Fran Dodsworth (Ruth Chatterton) and their solution to a crisis point in their relationship. The film won an Oscar for Best Interior Decoration and was nominated for six others, including Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress (Maria Ouspenskaya), and Director.
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The Fighting Lady 1944 N/R, 62 min.
Genre: Documentary
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Robert Taylor
Director William Wyler was an Army Lieutenant Colonel during World War II and made several documentaries to lift the spirits of those at home. This film won an Academy Award and follows the adventures of the crew of an aircraft carrier. The excellent camera footage, much of it in color, was subsequently used in post-war movies.
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Friendly Persuasion 1956 N/R, 140 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Phyllis Love, Marjorie Main, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton, Walter Catlett, Richard Hale, Joel Fluellen, Peter Mark Richman, Theodore Newton, John Smith, Marjorie Main
The Civil War interferes with a Quaker farm family's peaceful existence in Indiana. Son Josh (Anthony Perkins) defies his parents' (Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire) beliefs and enlists on the Union side as a soldier. The film accumulated several major Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Anthony Perkins), Song, Writing, and Sound).
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 Funny Girl 1968 G, 151 min.
Genre: Drama / Musical / Comedy / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Lee Allen, Mae Questel, Gerald Mohr, Frank Faylen, John Harmon, Mittie Lawrence, Gertrude Flynn, Penny Santon, Thordis Brandt, Bettina Brenna
Barbra Streisand's talent was discovered by the world during the run of her Broadway performance in her role as Fanny Brice. The story is about comedian Fanny Brice's turbulent marriage to Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif), which coincided with her rise to fame. Fanny Brice, "I'm a bagel on a plate of onion rolls." Streisand carried away an Oscar for Best Actress.
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The Good Fairy 1935 N/R, 98 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Margaret Sullavan, Herbert Marshall, Frank Morgan, Reginald Owen, Beulah Bondi, Alan Hale, Eric Blore, Cesar Romero, Luis Alberni, June Clayworth
Usherette Luisa (Margaret Sullavan) is a young woman fresh out of an orphanage. When the rich Konrad (Frank Morgan) asks her out, she says that she is married, picking a name out of the phone book as the husband. The man, Max (Herbert Marshall), a struggling lawyer, is hired by Konrad in order to get Luisa. After the appropriate complications, Luisa and Max fall in love, and Konrad becomes their benefactor. Remade in 1947 as "I'll Be Yours").
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 The Heiress 1949 N/R, 115 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Ralph Richardson, Montgomery Clift, Miriam Hopkins, Vanessa Brown, Mona Freeman, Ray Collins, Selena Royle, Russ Conway, Harry Antrim, Betty Linley, Paul Lees, David Thursby
Set in mid-1800s' New York City, this is the story of a plain-looking young woman (Olivia de Havilland) who is pursued by a handsome man (Montgomery Clift) because of her fortune. An interfering father (Ralph Richardson) determines to ruin the relationship and, in the process, his daughter as well. Olivia de Havilland won the Academy Award for her performance. The film also won three other Academy Awards and was nominated for four others, including Best Picture, Supporting Actor ( Ralph Richardson) and Director.
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Jezebel 1938 N/R, 103 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, Fay Bainter, George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Spring Byington, Richard Cromwell, Henry O'Neill, John Litel, Gordon Oliver, Janet Shaw, Irving Pichel, Theresa Harris, Margaret Early
Set in New Orleans during the1850s, a Southern belle (Bette Davis) plays mind games with her two suitors (Henry Fonda and George Brent), but the results are not what she planned. Bette Davis received an Oscar for Best Actress, and Fay Bainter won for Best Supporting Actress. A nomination for Best Picture was also received.
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 The Letter 1940 N/R, 97 min.
Genre: Mystery / Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort, David Newell, Gale Sondergaard, Victor Sen Yung, Bruce Lester, Cecil Kellaway, Doris Lloyd, Elizabeth Inglis, Willie Fung, Tetsu Komai, Leonard Mudie, John Ridgely
Somerset Maugham's play is brought to the screen in this film about circumstances following Leslie Crosbie's (Bette Davis) supposed self-defense murder of her lover, Geoffrey (David Newell). Geoffrey's widow (Gale Sondergaard) appears on the scene and says she has a letter from Leslie inviting Geoffrey to visit and that he was Leslie's lover. Leslie pays the $10,000 in blackmail money that is being demanded for the letter. The trial convenes, and her lawyer's (James Stephenson) defense proves Leslie innocent. Now, her husband Robert (Herbert Marshall) discovers that $10,000 is missing from his bank account, Leslie confesses, and Robert forgives her. But, everyone has not forgiven her, and a surprise visitor is lurking in Leslie's garden. The film received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Actress (Davis), Supporting Actor (Stephenson), and Director. Remade in 1947 as "The Unfaithful" and in 1982 as "The Letter" for TV.
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The Little Foxes 1941 N/R, 115 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright, Richard Carlson, Dan Duryea, Charles Dingle, Lucien Littlefield, Patricia Collinge, Carl Benton Reid, Jessica Grayson, John Marriott, Russell Hicks, Virginia Brissac, Al Bridge, Kenny Washington
Regina Gibbons (Bette Davis) could aptly be described as "the wife from Hell." When her husband, Horace (Herbert Marshall), refuses to join in her evil scheme, she simply refuses to give him his heart medicine–he dies!! The film received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Actress, Supporting Actress (two nominations: Patricia Collinge and Teresa Wright), and Director. Based on Lillian Hellman's play.
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Mrs. Miniver 1942 N/R, 135 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Henry Travers, Richard Ney, Reginald Owen, Miles Mander, Henry Wilcoxon, Rhys Williams, Mary Field, Brenda Forbes, Helmut Dantine, Tom Conway
Kay Miniver (Greer Garson) is the matriarch of a British family who holds things together as World War II closes in around them. While she tends to the children and her garden, her husband Clem (Walter Pigeon) takes part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Meanwhile, German bombs are dropping on their peaceful village, and the eldest son Vin (Richard Ney) falls in love with upper-crust Carol (Teresa Wright). The family seems able to face the tragedies of the war, but will the war take its toll on their young love? This film was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture, Director (William Wyler), Actress (Garson), and Supporting Actress (Wright). It also won two more Oscars and was nominated for six others, including Best Actor (Pidgeon), Supporting Actor (Henry Travers), and Supporting Actress (Dame May Whitty).
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 Roman Holiday 1953 N/R, 119 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Harcourt Williams, Laura Solari, Margaret Rawlings, Tullio Carminati, Paolo Carlini, Claudio Ermelli, Paola Borboni, Alfredo Rizzo
This is a delightful tale about Princess Anne (Audrey Hepburn) who runs away, meets American newsman Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), and they fall in love. Alas, the truth is that she must go back to her real life of royal duties. Audrey Hepburn captured the Best Actress Oscar for her role in this film. In addition to two other Oscars, the film also received seven nominations including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Eddie Albert), and Director (William Wyler).
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These Three 1936 N/R, 93 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon, Joel McCrea, Catherine Doucet, Bonita Granville, Margaret Hamilton, Walter Brennan, Alma Kruger, Marcia Mae Jones, Frank McGlynn Sr.
Based on Lillian Hellman's "The Children's Hour," this early version features Bonita Granville as the spiteful girl who spreads a vicious rumor that nearly destroys two founders (Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon) of a girls' school. Granville received an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress.
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The Westerner 1940 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Western
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Doris Davenport, Fred Stone, Dana Andrews, Chill Wills, Forrest Tucker, Tom Tyler, Charles Halton, Julian Rivero, Lilian Bond, Trevor Bardette, Lucien Littlefield, Hank Bell, Jack Pennick
Walter Brennan plays the "hanging lawman" Judge Roy Bean who conducts trials from his saloon in Vinegaroon, Texas, and often uses hanging as his sentence. Judge Roy Bean just might meet his match in Cole Hardin (Gary Cooper) who is charged with stealing a horse. Cole talks his way into a delay for his hanging by convincing Judge Bean that he is a friend of actress Lily Langtry (Lilian Bond) who the Judge adores. Cole says he can give the Judge a lock of her hair. When Cole says it will take two weeks to get the lock of hair, his hanging is delayed. Meanwhile, Cole becomes involved in a range war and even gets to see Lily Langtry when she arrives in Texas. Walter Brennan won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and two other nominations were received.
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 Wuthering Heights 1939 N/R, 104 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Flora Robson, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Miles Mander, Leo G. Carroll, Hugh Williams, Cecil Humphreys, Cecil Kellaway, Sarita Wooton, Rex Downing, Douglas Scott, Helena Grant
In this filmed version of Emily Bronte's classic novel, Mr. Earnshaw (Cecil Kellaway) brings home orphaned Heathcliff (Rex Downing) to Wuthering Heights. Earnshaw's son Hindley (Douglas Scott) hates Heathcliff, but daughter Catherine (Sarita Wooton) loves him. Mr. Earnshaw dies, and Hindley takes over forcing Heathcliff to work as a stable boy. Cathy and Heathcliff love each other, but when they grow up, Cathy (now played by Merle Oberon) marries wealthy neighbor Edgar Linton (David Niven). Heathcliff (now played by Laurence Olivier) has left but returns a wealthy man, buys Wuthering Heights from Hindley (now played by Hugh Williams), and marries Edgar's sister Isabella (Geraldine Fitzgerald). Now, Cathy realizes that she cannot forget Heathcliff, and even death cannot part them. Academy Award nominations included Best Picture, Actor (Olivier), Supporting Actress (Geraldine Fitzgerald), and Director.
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| Oscars: Best Director for Mrs. Miniver (1942), Best Director for The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Best Director for Ben-Hur (1959) |
1. Ben-Hur (1959)
2. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
3. The Big Country (1958)
4. Carrie (1952)
5. The Children's Hour (1961)
aka: The Loudest Whisper
6. The Collector (1965)
7. Come and Get It (1936)
aka: Roaring Timbers
8. Dead End (1937)
9. The Desperate Hours (1955)
10. Detective Story (1951)
11. Dodsworth (1936)
12. The Fighting Lady (1944)
13. Friendly Persuasion (1956)
14. Funny Girl (1968)
15. The Good Fairy (1935)
16. The Heiress (1949)
17. How to Steal a Million (1966)
18. Jezebel (1938)
19. The Letter (1940)
20. The Little Foxes (1941)
21. Mrs. Miniver (1942)
22. Roman Holiday (1953)
23. These Three (1936)
24. The Westerner (1940)
25. Wuthering Heights (1939)
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