Fedora

In one of his final films, Billy Wilder (“Some Like It Hot”) takes a fond yet ironic look at Hollywood’s long-gone star system. The story centers on a financially strapped independent producer (William Holden) who tries to help the seemingly ageless actress Fedora (Marthe Keller) make her comeback—and in doing so, secure his own happiness. His search takes him to the Greek island of Corfu, where Fedora lives in seclusion with a Polish countess (Hildegard Knef)—and where she appears to be held captive... “Fedora” (1978) can be read as a melancholic, elegiac reflection on the myth of Hollywood and the decline of fame. Master director Billy Wilder combines the structure of a mystery plot with a deep, almost bitter nostalgia for past glory. This creates a dense, somewhat morbid atmosphere reminiscent of his film “Sunset Boulevard,” though it comes across as less biting and satirical. Rather, “Fedora” comes across as a quiet, contemplative late-career work that combines Wilder’s critical view of the film industry with a personal reflection on transience and self-deception. Mario Adorf appears in a memorable supporting role as a hotelier.