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Few can boast a career in pictures that was as long, as fruitful, or as successful as the great Robert Wise. A diligent workaholic whose humble beginnings in Hollywood saw him climb his way up from studio lot errands boy to Academy Award-winning director—Wise’s filmography is so vast and all-encompassing that even fans of his films may be unaware of the true extent of his work. One reason for this is because Robert Wise’s cinema is almost impossible to pin down. He had the resourceful ability to work within any budget, the talent and creativity to explore almost any genre, and a strong humanitarian conscience for telling stories that reflected the societal issues of the time.
Furthermore, Wise’s reputation as a mildly-tempered and approachable director meant that he was always well-respected amongst executives, cast, and crew. Now, with a Steven Spielberg remake of Robert Wise’s record-breaking 1961 musical film adaptation West Side Story scheduled for an upcoming release, the great director’s influence is coming full-circle. I sat down with writer J.R Jordan, author of Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures to touch on the continued legacy of a Hollywood stalwart.
Why do you think Robert Wise was so successful in carving out such a long career and managed to stay relevant for such a long period of time?
Robert Wise was not the type of person to alienate others. He quickly earned the respect of many, and this is why he enjoyed a lasting career in the industry. His nephew, Douglas E. Wise, penned the foreword of my book. The words he used to describe his uncle say it all. “As a director, Uncle Bob’s demeanor and personality were quite even. There was no temper. There was no ego. There was no flexing of power or anything else. He was simply a nice guy and everybody, cast and crew alike, admired him. I don’t believe this to be true simply because he was my uncle. I’ve worked in the motion picture industry for thirty years as a director, assistant director, and production manager. During this period of time, I have never encountered anybody classier than my uncle.”
How do you think his experience as an editor early on in his career assisted him as a filmmaker in later years?
Robert Wise’s experience as an editor became significant in more ways than one. For starters, he created elaborate storyboards, which presented shot-by-shot depictions of particular scenes. Furthermore, Wise frequently recorded notes onto the shooting scripts of his films. These notes were made primarily for the benefit of the post-production crews. Wise, in short, was economical and preferred not to shoot extra footage if the opportunity ever presented itself. As a result, he knew exactly what was needed when the time came for the editors to cut the film.
In your opinion, how impactful a turning-point was it for Robert Wise’s career in receiving the endorsement from RKO producer Val Lewton?
It all started with Orson Welles. He was the kind of guy who had high expectations, and Wise worked hard to ensure he would never let Welles down. If people expected to work for Mr. Welles, it was imperative they knew their craft. Editing is a challenging profession, and to be the editor of Citizen Kane, one of the greatest motion pictures of all time, was not an easy task, but Robert Wise made it work.
Welles was impressed and hired Wise to be an editor of his next picture, The Magnificent Ambersons. At one point, however, Welles took off for Brazil in the middle of the production, and Wise was suddenly called upon to direct part of the film. In the process, much experience was gained, and an impressed Val Lewton had been observing Wise for a majority of the time.
Later, when RKO’s The Curse of the Cat People commenced production, Gunther von Fritsch was tapped to direct. However, he was not particularly mindful of the shooting schedule and quickly fell behind. As a consequence, the film went over budget. Von Fritsch was therefore dismissed, and Lewton wasted little time hiring Wise to fill the vacancy.
The following years were promising. Lewton essentially nurtured Wise. When the latter ultimately departed RKO for Twentieth Century Fox, his career as a director of motion pictures had been established. Wise never forgot the impact Lewton had on him. The Haunting, one of Wise’s most successful pictures, is dedicated to Lewton.
How important do you think it was for Robert Wise to create work that explored social issues relevant to the time?
It was of monumental importance. A selection of Robert Wise’s films, particularly Odds Against Tomorrow and West Side Story, address America’s ongoing issues of racism. Both pictures were produced at a time when the civil rights movement was beginning to surge. Wise, in short, championed particular causes, and his support for such causes became evident through the pictures he directed. Another example pertains to the Vietnam War. Wise opposed it. In 1971, he and his friend Mark Robson formed an independent production company by the name of The Filmmakers Group. Anti-war pictures were produced. Wise’s Two People, released in 1973, revolves around the romance between Lindsay Wagner and Peter Fonda’s characters, and Fonda’s character, Evan Bonner, is that of a draft dodger.
Would you care to speak on the versatility of Robert Wise as a filmmaker? How had he managed to encompass so many genres?
Robert Wise always appreciated a film’s script. When he was presented with the Life Achievement Award on February 19, 1998, he said, “Early on, I realized the most important element in any film is the script. With screenwriters like Ernest Lehman, Nelson Gidding, [and] Robert Anderson amongst others providing such marvelous screenplays, I felt I owed it to the audience to faithfully bring their fine work to the screen to the best of my creative powers.”
Wise enjoyed the challenge of exploring as many genres as possible. He experimented with horror (The Body Snatcher), film noir (Born to Kill), science fiction (The Day the Earth Stood Still), and war (The Desert Rats). He also oversaw the productions of westerns (Blood on the Moon and Tribute to a Bad Man). Of course, most people remember Wise for the musicals (West Side Story & The Sound of Music) which he directed.
Robert Wise has spoken many times about the importance of connecting to his audience. Would you care to speak on this?
Mademoiselle Fifi was the first film Robert Wise directed entirely on his own. Principal photography transpired during a time when France was under Nazi occupation. The script is set during the Franco-Prussian War, and it portrays triumphant Prussian forces. Wise feared the narrative would alienate a majority of theatergoers. He, therefore, took it upon himself to henceforth direct films which were more likely to resonate with audiences.
During the early 1950s, Wise and Mark Robson joined forces with Theron Warth, an editor best known for his work on Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious, to form a production company by the name of Aspen Pictures. They aimed to produce quality films using the finest source material.
At the time, Estes Kefauver, a United States Senator from Tennessee, headed a special committee whose sole purpose was to investigate organized crime. He supported Aspen Pictures’ venture to produce a film regarding the shady underworld of the mafia and its threat to domestic America. Wise’s film, The Captive City, afforded him the opportunity to connect with his audience in ways which were previously not possible. He essentially had more control over the productions of his pictures.
What (if any) would you say would be the legacy that Robert Wise has left on the industry?
Robert Wise directed a total of forty films, all of which are worthy of considerable attention, but he made his mark on the industry even when he was away from the director’s chair. From 1971 to 1975, Wise served as the tenth president of the Directors Guild of America. He later returned to the guild during the 1980s to serve as the chairman of a special projects committee.
From 1984 to 1987, Wise was the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 1988, he received the D.W. Griffith Award as a tribute to his lifetime achievements in cinema. Wise accomplished much, and his personal papers (i.e., budget material, correspondence) can be found at the USC Cinematic Arts Library. In the coming months, a colleague and I plan to digitally preserve Wise’s papers for posterity. The task will be costly and massive, but it will further promote the legacy of a great man.
What was it about the work of Robert Wise specifically that inspired you to write this book?
The book is dedicated to my father, who passed away in July of this year. Fortunately, he was able to enjoy the book upon its publication. As I was growing up, my father often spoke highly of The Sand Pebbles. The day the two of us took in a screening of the film is one I'll never forget. In addition to The Sand Pebbles, I was really amazed when I viewed Robert Wise’s filmography for the first time. I knew I would enjoy the process of researching these films further.
One thing about my book, it’s not a biography of Robert Wise. That’s the most common misinterpretation. The title says it all, Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures. The book offers a film-by-film analysis of Wise’s forty directorial efforts. Sure, one will find significant biographical details when reading about Robert Wise’s motion pictures, but it’s not really a biography.
What did your investigative research for the book tell you about the kind of man that Robert Wise was?
I was fortunate to have interviewed over twenty individuals during the course of my research. Perhaps the most important thing I learned is that the characteristics of power, success, and kindness defined Robert Wise. It is rare for all three characteristics to coexist within a single individual. Wise treated his crew in the same manner as his stars.
Furthermore, he did the majority of his directing during the casting process. Whenever a performer sought feedback from Wise, the latter would frequently explain that the performer, whoever it was, proved she/he knew exactly how to execute the performance during the screen test. “You showed me who this character was during the screen test, so now, give me the performance you gave me then,” Wise would say. The end result often proved to be first-rate.
Being that his filmography is so vast and diverse, what particular films from Robert Wise’s catalogue would you recommend to someone who is new to his work?
The main thing people have confessed to me after reading my book is that they had no idea Robert Wise directed films they’ve actually known about for many years, including film noir classics such as The Set-Up and The House on Telegraph Hill. Both are highly recommended. Many have associated Robert Wise with the notable productions of West Side Story and The Sound of Music, but there’s other films that are worthy of attention. Examples include Executive Suite, Until They Sail, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Article by Sonny Arifien of Privilege of Legends