Robert Wise

Robert Wise, the young editor of Citizen Kane, earned his directorial stripes at RKO, particularly with The Body Snatcher and The Set-Up, films of amazing quality and dark sensibility.  Wise later found himself at Warner Brothers, MGM, and 20^th Century Fox, consistently directing pictures of depth and versatility.  The man behind the searing crime film, Odds Against Tomorrow, followed such success with the upbeat West Side Story.  Wise guided the great, multi-character drama of Executive Suite and also turned his attention to warfare with The Sand Pebbles.  He was the personification of the finest, old style “studio director” and ultimately became a two-time winner of the Academy Award for Best Director.  Wise not only made films his way, he made them the right way, directing classics such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.  Joe Jordan’s book, which includes over twenty interviews, presents a studious, solemn analysis of the complete Robert Wise canon.