{"product_id":"billy-wilder-on-assignment-dispatches-from-weimar-berlin-and-interwar-vienna-9780691241838","title":"Billy Wilder on Assignment: Dispatches from Weimar Berlin and Interwar Vienna","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eTimes Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e Book of the Year, chosen by Tom Stoppard\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A revelation.\"--Marc Weingarten, \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAcclaimed film director Billy Wilder's early writings--brilliantly translated into English for the first time \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBefore Billy Wilder became the screenwriter and director of iconic films like \u003ci\u003eSunset Boulevard\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSome Like It Hot\u003c\/i\u003e, he worked as a freelance reporter, first in Vienna and then in Weimar Berlin. \u003ci\u003eBilly Wilder on Assignment\u003c\/i\u003e brings together more than fifty articles, translated into English for the first time, that Wilder (then known as \"Billie\") published in magazines and newspapers between September 1925 and November 1930. From a humorous account of Wilder's stint as a hired dancing companion in a posh Berlin hotel and his dispatches from the international film scene, to his astute profiles of writers, performers, and political figures, the collection offers fresh insights into the creative mind of one of Hollywood's most revered writer-directors. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWilder's early writings--a heady mix of cultural essays, interviews, and reviews--contain the same sparkling wit and intelligence as his later Hollywood screenplays, while also casting light into the dark corners of Vienna and Berlin between the wars. Wilder covered everything: big-city sensations, jazz performances, film and theater openings, dance, photography, and all manner of mass entertainment. And he wrote about the most colorful figures of the day, including Charlie Chaplin, Cornelius Vanderbilt, the Prince of Wales, actor Adolphe Menjou, director Erich von Stroheim, and the Tiller Girls dance troupe. Film historian Noah Isenberg's introduction and commentary place Wilder's pieces--brilliantly translated by Shelley Frisch--in historical and biographical context, and rare photos capture Wilder and his circle during these formative years. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFilled with rich reportage and personal musings, \u003ci\u003eBilly Wilder on Assignment\u003c\/i\u003e showcases the burgeoning voice of a young journalist who would go on to become a great auteur.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBilly Wilder\u003c\/b\u003e (1906-2002) wrote and directed \u003ci\u003eDouble Indemnity\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Weekend\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSunset Boulevard\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSome Like It Hot\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e, among other films. Over the course of his career, he won seven Academy Awards. \u003cb\u003eNoah Isenberg\u003c\/b\u003e is the George Christian Centennial Professor and Chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. His many books include \u003ci\u003eWe'll Always Have \"Casablanca\" \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eWeimar Cinema\u003c\/i\u003e. Twitter @NoahIsenberg Instagram @noah.isenberg1967\u003cb\u003e Shelley Frisch\u003c\/b\u003e is the award-winning translator of \u003ci\u003eDietrich \u0026amp; Riefenstahl\u003c\/i\u003e and the three-volume \u003ci\u003eKafka\u003c\/i\u003e (Princeton), among other books. Twitter @shelfrisch\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50521298993426,"sku":"9780691241838","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_6354bee9-f5a7-497a-a083-96c5f67ebcb7.jpg?v=1731101176","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/billy-wilder-on-assignment-dispatches-from-weimar-berlin-and-interwar-vienna-9780691241838","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}