Fedora (1978)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Tom Tryon (story)
Billy Wilder (writer) ...

Release Date:

29 June 1978 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Hollywood producer Barry 'Dutch' Detweiler attempts to lure Fedora, a famous but reclusive film actress out of retirement.

Plot Keywords:

Film Making | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win

Cast

William Holden	...	Barry 'Dutch' Detweiler
Marthe Keller	...	Fedora / Antonia Sobryanski
Hildegard Knef	...	Countess Fedora Sobryanski
José Ferrer	...	Doctor Vando
Frances Sternhagen	...	Miss Balfour
Mario Adorf	...	Corfu Hotel Manager
Stephen Collins	...	Young Barry
Henry Fonda	...	President of the Academy
Michael York	...	Himself
Hans Jaray	...	Count Sobryanski
Gottfried John	...	Kritos
Arlene Francis	...	Newscaster
Jacques Maury	...	Head Usher
Christine Mueller	...	Young Antonia
Ellen Schwiers	...	Nurse

Also Known As:

Fedora (West Germany)
Fedora (Austria) (Liechtenstein) [de]
Den gådefulde Fedora (Denmark) [da]
Faidora (Greece) [el]
Fedora (Spain) [es]
Fedora - arvoituksellinen nainen (Finland) [fi]
O Segredo de Fedora (Portugal) [pt]

Runtime:

Spain:116 min | Sweden:114 min | USA:114 min

Country:

France | West Germany

Language:

English | Greek | French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Hungary:14 | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Corfu, Greece

Company:

Bavaria Atelier

Trivia:

Faye Dunaway was originally offered the role of Fedora, and Marlene Dietrich was asked to play Countess Sobryanski.

Quotes:

Doctor Vando: [disbelieving] Jean Sibelius tacky?!?

Movie Connections:

References The Song of Bernadette (1943)

If only

I devoured Tom Tryon's book and I made my own film in my mind. Needless to say, I loved it. Then I heard that Billy Wilder was going to direct the film version. Perfect, I thought, perfect. I wanted to write to Mr. Wilder to let him know about the film I had already in my mind, not camera shots, naturally, but casting. There was only one actress who could play the Garboesque Fedora in all her mysterious splendor and that was Vanessa Redgrave, then,at that exact moment in time. She was the only actress who could be all the other actresses we've always known and loved rolled into one. That in itself made her unique, spellbinding. Rachel Kempson a great British actress plus Vanessa's mother in real life, to play the old lady. The film was made with Marthe Keller and Hildegarde Kneff in those roles. I hoped for Terence Stamp to be the actor of Fedora's dreams. They chose Michael York. I remember a review by Pauline Kael I believe, when she came to review Michael York in this film her comment was succinct: "Michael York plays himself, unconvincingly". Maybe this is a suitable case for remake. With all due respect to Mr. Wilder, one of my heroes, maybe Cameron Crowe should have a go.