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William Holden, Hildegarde Neff, José Ferrer, Marthe Keller, Frances Sternhagen ... see more see more... , Mario Adorf , Hans Jaray , Gottfried John , Michael York , Henry Fonda , Stephen Collins , Arlene Francis , Elma Karlowa , Panos Papadopoulos

In Fedora, Billy Wilder approaches Hollywood stardom in the same fashion as he did in Sunset Boulevard--with cynicism, regret, understanding, and awe. Fedora (Marthe Keller) is film's most intriguing ... read more read more...movie queen. Rumored to be well into her sixties, the actress has remained a starlet for over four decades--retaining youth and radiance despite her advancing years. The mystery behind her numinous persona has never ceased to captivate audiences. Even now, as she lives in seclusion on the beautiful Greek island of Corfu, the public buzzes for her to return to the screen. When producer Barry Detweiler (William Holden) travels to Corfu, staking his faltering career on Fedora's return, he discovers the actress's tragic secret. Fedora's eternal loveliness may not be the result of defying her age, but of concealing her youth. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi

Flixster Users

56% liked it

427 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

10 critics

PG, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Billy Wilder

Release Date: June 29, 1978

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DVD Release Date: May 6, 1992

Stats: 24 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (24)

  • scrambledegg7
    March 15, 2010
    scrambledegg7
    Billy Wilder's earlier film Sunset Blvd is a much better story of aging actresses who once captivated the world. However, that inevitable comparison aside, this film is uneven. It spends too much of its time in unwieldy back story that should have found another way to be told. In... read morestead it all felt very anticlimactic and poorly handled. Marthe Keller's performance is also very disappointing and never really seems to connect to the story. But perhaps that's the point - Fedora is never terribly connected to her surroundings. It's a nice attempt at a good story but overall it falls a bit flat.

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Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
August 14, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The deliberate and sometimes dismaying anachronisms are signs of a deep, unshakable commitment to a personal aesthetic -- a commitment that is sometimes more moving than anything in the film itself. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Trust Wilder to know what he's doing, even during the deliberate clichés. See it like that, and I bet you'll like it. See it with a straight face, and you'll think it's boring and obvious. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Fedora is old-fashioned with a vengeance, a proud, passionate remembrance of the way movies used to be, and a bitter smile at what they have become. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
February 6, 2010
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Gallant Hollywood-Babylon concerto Full Review

August 14, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Defiantly and proudly old-fashioned both in style and content, weaving an (intentionally) campy melodrama about the mysterious suicide of a faded movie queen into a spellbinding meditation on cinema a... Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
March 17, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Brilliant homage to a bygone age of glamor. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

A shamefully underrated film, Fedora is Wilder's testament and one of the most sublime achievements of the '70s. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Probably Wilder's most interesting work, if not necessarily his best. Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 17, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

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Fedora Trivia

  • In order to keep his fedora on while filming scenes on horseback for the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", Harrison Ford had to staple it to his head.  Answer »
  • This all-time great made two appearances as Private Detective Tony Rome, fedora and all. The films were "Tony Rome" (1967) and "Lady in Cement"(1968). Name this legendary performer.   Answer »
  • In order to keep his fedora on during action sequences in the Indiana Jones movies, Harrison Ford had to have the hat stapled to his head.  Answer »
  • According to the DVD commentary, one of the bad guys in which movie is actually wearing Harrison Ford's fedora from the Indiana Jones movies?  Answer »
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