Wilder, Marx, USA: Films by Billy Wilder and the Marx Brothers

December 26 to 30, 2005

Billy Wilder was not a Marxist; nor were the brothers Groucho, Chico, and Harpo. But when it comes to biting social criticism, Wilder's best films are pretty close to the political philosopher Karl Marx. And in terms of sheer comedic glory, they can certainly hold their own with the brothers Marx from America. As a combo they're unbeatable.

To usher in the New Year, and on the eve of the 100th birthday of Billy Wilder, who was born in the Austrian crownland of Galicia in 1906, the Film Museum will show the five best Wilder films and five works by the Marx Brothers.

Some Like it Hot, One Two Three, Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard and Kiss Me Stupid Wilder will be combined with some rarely shown Marx works, including their first film, The Cocoanuts, plus At the Circus and The Big Store.

In this encounter between two different generations of American film satire, two contrasting styles of comedy and maliciousness go head to head. In both cases, however, the humour involved is that of immigrants or their children, the humour which comes from a sharp look from the outside, one which keeps its distance to the object of its "desire" despite all the turmoil and all the fun the actors are having.