Billy Wilder's penultimate film is also his weirdest. Based on Thomas Tryon's speculative novel, the film stars William Holden as a down on his luck producer trying to coax a very Garbo-like actress out of retirement. Seeking her out on a remote Greek isle, Holden encounters a lot of trouble from the actress's ghoulish entourage --- nasty secretary Frances Sternhagen, sinister doctor Jose Ferrer and bossy countess Hildegard Knef. He's also let in on one extremely bizarre secret. The film clearly hearkens back to Wilder's earlier masterpiece SUNSET BOULEVARD, and while it's not nearly as successful as that black comedy, it has lot of pluses: a remarkable performance by Marthe Keller in the title role; a truly odd supporting cast; great camera work by Gerry Fisher; stunning art direction by Alexandre Trauner.
Review of Fedora
