WILDER TIMES. Screenings of Billy Wilder movies (that's Wilder to the right) seem to be unending in New York City repertory houses, but that's okay with me--I'm very fond of Wilder's snappy wit and wry humor, which often satirized the powerful and challenged standards of "good taste." And this, after all, is the Billy Wilder Centennial season.

Among the 22 movies in The Film Forum's Essential Wilder series are at least three movies widely considered to be "classics." There's the noir James Cain adaptation Double Indemnity (June 30-July 1), the comedy Some Like It Hot (July 2), and the Hollywood melodrama Sunset Blvd. (July 7-8).

Among the other series selections, definitely consider the following:

A Foreign Affair (July 3) Wilder's 1948 take on the U.S. occupation of Germany stars Jean Arthur and Marlene Dietrich.

The Seven Year Itch/Kiss Me, Stupid (July 9) Wilder satirizes American sexual mores with the help of Tom Ewell, Kim Novak, Dean Martin, Ray Walston, and, famously, Marilyn Monroe.

One, Two, Three (July 10) Previous coverage here.

Stalag 17 (July 12) Tension builds among American POWs, including William Holden's Sefton--an Oscar-winning role.

The Apartment (July 14-15) This great New York business world romance (later adapted for the musical Promises, Promises) stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray plus Walston.

Here's a James Cagney still from One, Two, Three.

















And here's a still of Jack Lemmon from The Apartment.













Such faces!