December 5: Happy Birthday Otto Preminger

[TMC]

https://lebeauleblog.com/2017/12/05/...tto-preminger/

Otto Preminger (1905-1986) was born into a Jewish family in what is today part of Ukraine, but a century ago belonged to the Habsburgs. His family moved to Vienna when he was about ten, and in his teens he began working with a theater company run by director Max Reinhardt. He began working as both a theatrical and film director in the 1930s, and in 1935 was signed to a contract by Fox and moved to Hollywood. Preminger worked at the studio for a few years, left in a feud with Daryl F. Zanuck, and directed on Broadway from 1938-1942.

Preminger returned to Fox during the war years, and began to develop a film adapted from Vera Caspary’s novel, Laura. Initially, Preminger was assigned only to produce the film, but he managed to convince Zanuck (no small feat, given their animosity) that he should take over direction as well. The film turned out to be a classic of film noir and Preminger received a Best Director nomination.


Preminger went on to direct additional noirs like Fallen Angels and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Two of his 1950s films, the romantic comedy The Moon is Blue and the drug-addiction drama The Man With the Golden Arm, were highly controversial in their day. Two of his later successes as a director were the courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder and an adaptation of Allen Drury’s novel Advise and Consent. Fans of the 1960s Batman series may remember Preminger as one of three actors to play Mr. Freeze during the show’s run.