claudio ortega

Stalag 17 (1953) written by Billy Wilder and Edwin Blum starring William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Richard Erdman, Peter Graves, Neville Brand, Sig Ruman This was Billy's first film after the failure of Ace in the Hole (which is now recognized as an unqualified masterpiece). He often talked about how he really wanted a big success and he definitely found one in this play by Bevan and Trzcinski which ran for 472 performances on Broadway the prior two years (produced and directed by Jose Ferrer). It was considered risky at the time to produce a WW2 comedy/drama (we'd now call it a dramedy I suppose) but in the deft hands of Wilder the tonal shifts were perfectly calibrated (see The Great Escape as an example of tonal shifts not perfectly calibrated) and integrated into the story/plot. William Holden was the natural successor to the sort of cynical American played in the 1940s by Humphrey Bogart and had already been Oscar-nominated in Wilder's masterpiece Sunset Blvd (1950). He became the perfect embodiment of the Wilder stand-in during the 1950s and won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Sefton the "is he or isn't he" American collaborator in the prison camp. A truly stand-out ensemble cast with several from the original Broadway play and then there's Otto Preminger as the camp commandant. He was notoriously difficult be Billy always said he was a pleasure to work for and one of the easiest actors he ever had to direct. It's one of Wilder's best films although maybe not as well remembered today as it once was. Personally, I love it but ... I argued or discussed with Billy many times that final shot which I never liked (it always feels out of place to me) and one night, after several of Billy's favourite martinis, he finally just said to me "just go fuck off." That was Billy. I loved him and learned more from him than any other director I knew. Highest recommendation. It's a great film.

Thunder on the Hill (1951) directed by Douglas Sirk starring Claudette Colbert, Ann Blyth, Robert Douglas, Gladys Cooper, Anne Crawford, Connie Gilchrist This Douglas Sirk film, made just a couple of years before the big soapy melodramas that he became best known for, is a personal favourite of mine (yes, I know I have a lot of those). It's a small crime film that I'm often surprised that most people have never heard of with one of those casts that I would walk across hot coals to watch. It's the story of a flood in rural Norfolk where a prisoner bound for her execution (played by Ann Blyth) is stranded in a convent during a flood and the nun who becomes convinced she's innocent and decides to find the real killer before they are rescued (played by Claudette Colbert). I know what you are going to say. Implausible. Well, Hitch would say "save us from the implausibles." Who cares when it's carried out with such style by a cast in which there is no weak link? Colbert and Blyth are excellent. And the supporting work by estimable Gladys Cooper and especially Connie Gilchrist (playing a version of the brassy character she often portrayed but this time in a habit!) is superb. It's interesting to see these "early films" of Sirk's which are so much different than his later work. Filmed in gloriously atmospheric B&W by the great William Daniels (who also photographed several early Garbo films) from the play by Charlotte Hastings. Definitely a "high" recommendation from me.

Tuner (2026) written and directed by Daniel Roher starring Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Tovah Feldshuh Leo Woodall burst onto the scene around 5 years ago and I've been fascinated with him ever since. Even in things that aren't so good (Nuremberg and White Lotus come to mind) he manages to emerge unscathed because he's such a damn good actor. Tuner is the second best film released in 2026 and Woodall gives a true star-making performance here. And his scenes opposite Dustin Hoffman -- giving his best performance in years -- are magical. The sound design of this film is truly spectacular and a special mention is deserved. How Woodall's character deals with his auditory problems. Fascinating stuff. It's the kind of film that you don't want to say too much about for fear of giving something away. I'd say just pop the disc in and go on the journey (or stream) and you will be richly rewarded. The film seems to have been somewhat overlooked and that's a shame. It's one of the best films of the year.