The Cinema of Otto Preminger

At a time when most directors called themselves independent, the only American filmmaker who came close to achieving such an ideal working condition is Otto Preminger, who originally started the independent movement away from the major studios. Preminger's work is eclectic, reflecting his catholic tastes in literature, art, and all human pursuits. It is possible to find in his films themes found only singly and other directors work: obsession in love and greed for power; politics in government and big business; discrimination and alienation among individuals and groups; fight for liberty in the physical, legal, and personal sense; feminine mystique and male mythology, shown in their true light; war and peace, love and hatred, psychological and social values; and imaginative interpretations of well-known events. Preminger is a realist who brings objectivity to all his work. The Cinema of Auto Preminger focuses on the important films of the director, as well as the director himself. It will be an invaluable work for any student of film. "Otto Ludwig Preminger (5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austro–Hungarian-American theatre and film director. After moving from the theatre to Hollywood, he directed over 35 feature films in a five-decade career. He rose to prominence for stylish film noir mysteries such as Laura (1944) and Fallen Angel (1945). In the 1950s and 1960s, he directed a number of high-profile adaptations of popular novels and stage works. Several of these pushed the boundaries of censorship by dealing with topics which were then taboo in Hollywood, such as drug addiction (The Man with the Golden Arm, 1955), rape (Anatomy of a Murder, 1959), and homosexuality (Advise & Consent, 1962). He was twice nominated for the Best Director Academy Award. He also had a few acting roles." -- Wikipedia