{"id":86338,"date":"2022-08-18T21:40:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-19T04:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=86338"},"modified":"2022-08-18T22:46:38","modified_gmt":"2022-08-19T05:46:38","slug":"fedora-1978","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=86338","title":{"rendered":"Fedora (1978)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I guess time catches up with all of us.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster-199x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-86336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster-199x300.png 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Poster.png 615w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen an independent producer (William Holden) arrives in Greece hoping to lure a reclusive movie star named Fedora (Marthe Keller) into his latest film, he quickly finds himself caught up in a complicated scenario involving Fedora&#8217;s personal youth-giving physician (Jose Ferrer), Fedora&#8217;s maid (France Sternhagen), and an elderly woman known simply as &#8220;The Countess&#8221; (Hildegard Knef).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Actors and Actresses<\/li>\n<li>Billy Wilder Films<\/li>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Jose Ferrer Films<\/li>\n<li>Michael York Films <\/li>\n<li>William Holden Films <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nBilly Wilder&#8217;s penultimate movie &#8212; co-written once again with his longtime collaborator, I.A.L. Diamond &#8212; was this gothic Hollywood tale set abroad in Europe and filled with flashbacks, mistaken identities, drug addiction, mother-daughter dynamics, and plenty of dubbing. The film evokes immediate parallels with Wilder&#8217;s <em>Sunset Boulevard<\/em> given the (re)casting of Holden, and the centrality of an aging diva holding reign over her household while her loyal servants wait nearby. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-1024x556.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-1024x556.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House.png 1305w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Quickly, however, the movie takes all sorts of unusual twists and turns, with many other movies (and big-name actors) referenced in some way; I&#8217;ll quote from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s4623fedo.html\">DVD Savant&#8217;s review<\/a> since he so succinctly names many of them: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Fedora<\/em> seems to be taking a tour through all of Wilder&#8217;s work, and the work of others as well. It begins with a Hollywood insider who has a flashback at the funeral of a great star (<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=59196\"><em>The Barefoot Contessa<\/em><\/a>). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2-491x270.png 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Funeral2.png 1283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It then journeys to a romantic Mediterranean setting with an amusing hotelier (<em>Avanti!<\/em>). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-1024x558.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-1024x558.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1-495x270.png 495w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Holden-1.png 1301w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The idea of a perhaps-mad star undergoing radical plastic surgery seems a melding of <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3986\"><em>Sunset Blvd.<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2939\"><em>Les yeux sans visage<\/em><\/a>, with mirrors removed from the house&#8230; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-1024x551.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-768x413.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without-502x270.png 502w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Eyes-Without.png 1299w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The &#8216;plastic surgery madness&#8217; also evokes images and ideas about disfigurement from <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5323\"><em>A Woman&#8217;s Face<\/em><\/a>&#8230; Finally, a major make-over\/identity transformation seems patterned after scenes in <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28420\"><em>Vertigo<\/em><\/a> and also the &#8220;Vertigo&#8221; pretender <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4499\"><em>The Legend of Lylah Clare<\/em><\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The inclusion of cameos by Henry Fonda and Michael York (playing themselves) simply adds to the surreality of what we&#8217;re watching: Fedora is a fictional movie star who nonetheless has a very-real crush on Michael York-the-actor: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-1024x552.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"345\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-1024x552.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage-501x270.png 501w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-York-Collage.png 1283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and who receives an honorary Oscar from Henry Fonda as &#8220;President of the Academy&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-1024x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"347\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-1024x555.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fonda.png 1304w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One also can&#8217;t help thinking of <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2306\"><em>Mommie Dearest<\/em> (1981)<\/a> at certain points (though that film and its influence wouldn&#8217;t appear until a few years later). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-1024x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"347\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-1024x555.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Mother-Child.png 1293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Indeed, it&#8217;s the mother-daughter element of the storyline that most directly turns it into an unexpectedly dark gothic horror flick; Wilder and Diamond don&#8217;t shy away from cynically representing the depths of life-altering narcissism at play in Hollywood. While <em>Fedora<\/em> isn&#8217;t a must-see entry in Wilder&#8217;s oeuvre, it will certainly be of interest to his fans, and remains well worth a look.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A truly bizarre storyline<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-1024x556.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-1024x556.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Fedora-Hat.png 1294w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Gerry Fisher&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-1024x551.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-768x413.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz-502x270.png 502w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-Waltz.png 1289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine use of location shooting in Greece and France<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-86362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fedora-House-Boat.png 1291w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but surprisingly enough, it&#8217;s recommended. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0077539\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagevoice.com\/2014\/09\/03\/billy-wilders-fedora-is-a-late-frustrating-curio\/\">Village Voice Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.nytimes.com\/www.nytimes.com\/books\/98\/12\/27\/specials\/wilder-fedora.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=10698&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I guess time catches up with all of us.&#8221; Synopsis: When an independent producer (William Holden) arrives in Greece hoping to lure a reclusive movie star named Fedora (Marthe Keller) into his latest film, he quickly finds himself caught up in a complicated scenario involving Fedora&#8217;s personal youth-giving physician (Jose Ferrer), Fedora&#8217;s maid (France Sternhagen), and an elderly woman known simply as &#8220;The Countess&#8221; (Hildegard Knef). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Actors and Actresses Billy Wilder Films Flashback Films Jose&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=86338\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=86338"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86370,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86338\/revisions\/86370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=86338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=86338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=86338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}