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Show TheSalt Lake Tribune ARTSSunday, April 7, 2002 D2 Sizing Up the Brains and Bite ofBilly Wilder, Last ofthe Greats There why Billy Wild: umn: Reason #1: It is late. Billy Wilder, the last of the great tors, died on March 27 at the age His deathwas 11 ago, and ler liked punctuality. He refused to work withthe (1954) and courtroom potboiler with “Witness for the Prosecution”(1957). Director Cameron Crowe who idolized Wilder (he copied a key scene from “The Apartment” in “Almost Famous,”and tried unsuccessfully to told Crowe. “The leading men who gues that Wilder's last movie, “Buddy Buddy”(1981), in- man.” Reason#4.It is sentimental. hitman comedy, be- Wilder loathed sentimentality. Take, for just one example, the end- cast Wilderin “Jerry Magui SEAN P. MEANS Ir is making it look easy. Wilder c ‘ haveit. “I don’t betold Crowe in one of theinterviews com- ented and cast Monroe in her greatest screen as Sugar Kane in “Some LikeIt nnw ilder was a masteris movie genres. He did comedyto perfection in “The Apart- ment” (1960) and “SomeLikeIt Hot” 1959). “DoubleIndemnity”(1944) was one of the greatest examples offilm noir, before French film critics in. ented the phrase. Wilder also did Hollywood melodramawith “Sunset 6. Ifyou have a problem in the third act, the realproblem is in thefirst act. unemployed accountantC.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) professes his love to audience add up two plus two. They'll 7.A tipfrom Ernst Lubitsch: Let the readysees, Add to what they are see- and deal.” — #5. It is deferential to piled in Crowe's MOVIES ter you are as a writer. ing to “The Apartment,” when now- ley MacLaine)in the middle of a gin game. Fran, who loves C.C. back but is careful to showit, replies, “Shut up lieve in genre,” he 1999 book Conversa: tions With Wilder. Reason#3. It overemphasizes his Oscars. Wilder was nominatedfor 21 AcademyAwards. Hewonsix, for direct- ont of the funnythreads running through Conversations With Wilderii s howtheirascible old man insults actors, co-workers and others who are Billy Wilder no longer aroundto defend them- ing and co-writing “TheLost Week. selves. According to Wilder, Milland end”(which also won Best Picture), co-writing “Sunset Blvd.,”and the hat trick for “Thi et “was not an Academy Award-worthy actor,” Fred MacMurray (who starred in “Double Indemnity” and “The Apartment”) was stingy, and one assistant director he worked tor, screenpl: ture Oscar) producer. Three actors owetheir Oscarsto Wilder: Milland in “The Lost Weekend,” William ‘ 3. Develop a clean line ofactionfor your leading character. _ 4. Knowwhereyou re going. elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shir- Ww . 2 Grab ‘em by the throat and never let go. Anybody whoplays a hunchbackhas got better s than a handsome leading —ar- troduced the mob- sacanainarae tips for writers: 1. The audience isfickle. get awards haveto walk with a limp or act retarded. They don't notice the guywho does all the hard work, who with was “an idiot.” I hope they aren’t taking it out on Wilder now. Reason #6. It was done ina Urry. Wilder and his collaborators (the Holden in “Stalag 17” (1953), and Walter Matthauin “The Fortune Cookie” (1966). All told, the 26 movies Blvd.” (1950), socially conscious he directed garnered 17 Oscars and 73 director emigrated from Germany romantic escapism with “Sabrina nominations. “Academy Awards, phhttt,” Wilder just ahead of the Nazis and distrusted his English, so he always wrote with a partner, most notably Charles Brackett and 1.A.L. Diamond) took their time with scripts, and Wilder decried the rush-rush ofHollywood scriptwriting. “People write on spec, fast, but they should be writing much slower,” Wildertold Crowe. Reason #7.It is not particulariy original. This part is cribbed directly from Crowe's book,but I wanted to reprint it because it perfectly crystallizes Wilder's genius. These are Wilder’s ing. 9. The event that occurs at the second-act curtain triggers the end of the movie. 10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then — 11. — that’s it. Don’t hang around. Reason #8.It doesn’t have a good closing line. Wilder's scripts had great closing lines. “All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.” “Shut upand deal.” “Nobody's perfect.” No way I would ever be able to top those. Got a question about the movies? Send it to movie critic Sean P. Means: The Salt Lake Tribune, 143 S. Main, thirdfloor, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, or e-mail at movies@sltrib.com, BYU Offers Spanish Theater Without the Engnusn BY JESUS LOPEZ JR. THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE PROVO — The Brigham Young University Spanish and Portuguese Department is experimenting with introducing the Spanish Golden Age of Theater to a Utah audience by presenting Pedro Calderén De La Barca’s play “La dama duende” on campus,in Spanish. The showis in two parts, with the “Loa,” a short pre-play preceding “La dama duende”or “The Phantom Lady.” (“Duendes” are elves or ghosts responsible for mischief. When something is missing, people blamethe “duende.”) beanbags (mostof those responding Audience members receive a @ Solid Gold comprehensive playbiil including essays about the play and the Span- ish Golden Age ofTheater in the 17th century. A cheat sheet in English helps non-Spanish speakers follow Carl Kunz Opie Mulvey,left, Christian Gentry and Abraham M. Adams in Babcock Babcock Serves Up a Classic Comedy fodder for comedy and food for thought in “You Can't Take It With You,” a celebration of the weirdness and wonder oflife created by Moss Hart and GeorgeS. K: The University of U' Theatre presents the comedy in a student production directed by John Woodhouse, a master’s, candidate in the U.'s theater Tickets are $11; $6 for students. Call (801) 581-7100 or (801) 355- ARTS. — Celia R. Baker (Reg. $5.99) 97 iecsesor40%“OFF! ef xp41300 . a:fate * Berry Garlands t rasies re * Berry peg \4le Glow | | | on the U. campus. Krylon Calder6n de la Banas“ta dama duenda” on the Brigham Young University campus in Provoat the Harold B. story of the widow Dofia Angela (Myndi Funk), who seeks some ex- Lee Library's west alcove Manuel (EmilianoFerreira) and his servant Cosme (Aaron de Jesus) are guests at the family’s home. When Angela andher servantIsabel (Melissa Burk)discovera secret passage, the pair wreaks havoc on Manuel’s room and Cosme’s sanity — becoming the duendes of thetitle. The playwright throws in sword fights and love triangles to keep pPinBacks ise jog intPrice 40". OFF ‘1 ‘ordumnite | 1 ° Dried Flowers @ 40%OFF (Expires 4/1302) dama duende” are native Spanish speakers and bring life to the dialogue. ig character See People in the audience catcall and pelt the players with and Hunt Mystery & Company present... 7pm $29.95 a person. Seating is limited. Call (801) 566-0917. Ogee | COLLEGE a One tone Dn shoot paw customer, pee woek. Excludes purchias a. Wo Narr Maal Corpor’coupons! OpenMFtaroSet ape Satidem Warp | REMOVE UNWANTED HAIR TODAY! Prices Starting | At SSCS on RCT) SMALL CLASSES PREPARATORY HAPPY TEACHERS FULLY ACCREDITED SUCCESSFUL KIDS AP CLASSES Upper Lip | Chin $§ 99.95 $ 109.95 FULL-TIME | Bikini Line Lower Legs $ 119.95 $ 159.95 COUNSELOR COLLEGE Two academic merit scholarships Financing Available HIGHEST % OF ini unde Our LightSheer Laser is FDA Approved! i each are available fall 2002 for SCHOLARS IN UTAH Two | Guaranteed results in writing - call today! sophomores entering Rowland-Hall-St. Mark's School LAYTON 801.775.8200 DRAPER 801.572.2600 The main cast members of “La Funk is the mees whois not fluent in Spanish. She occasionally things interesting. During the show, aed castobliter- Gathering Splace at Cardner Vilage 1100 West members a chance to show off their fastballs — de Jesus has a good arm. The show remains faithful to Spanishculture, although in the Loa, the cast uses a lot of “arribas” and ablefor families and students. April 19% & May 3ra yr Safety Pins Although good for the occasional “andales,” as if Speedy Gonzalez would pop out at any moment. A MYSTERY DINNER THEATER : Sa eeliace; . Eacalpas : were “planted”there). laugh, the beanbags are sometimes distracting. However, they give cast outdoor patio; the show continues Thursday through Godfatherof the Bride * Birds, Nests fs ° Feathers producing and Don Luis (Santiago Lucero). Don with a2 p.m. matinee on April 20 at the Babcock Theatre on the lowerlevel of Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre 6 South State » 466-7400 is session ends the show. “La dama duende” is the comic citementoutfrom the shadow of her brothers Don Juan (Alex Fuentes) department. The show plays Wednesday (the first week only), Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through April 21 wks Rainbow Crafts ater along, and a question-and-answer Theatre production of “You Can't TakeIt With You.” ‘The antics of the decidedly nonconformist Vanderhoffamily provide Spanish Golden aeies Applications for these renewable Cumming Scholarships are due April 10. For more information, please call RHSM’s admission office at (801) 355-7485 grasped for her lines,Me at least she isnot Erik Estrada faking in a Mexican soap opera. Overall, the show is a great introAe to great pliahaha! working in |
