William Wyler was a three-time Oscar winner who crafted several classics during Hollywood’s Golden Age, adapting his style to a wide variety of genres. Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1902 in Germany, Wyler immigrated to the U.S. when his cousin, Universal Studios chief Carl Laemmle, hired him as an errand boy. He quickly moved up the ranks, directing shorts during the silent era before transitioning into features. It was with the advent of sound that he hit his stride, displaying an ear for dialogue that would serve him well in lofty literary adaptations produced by his longtime partner, independent mogul Samuel Goldwyn.
Wyler quickly became an Oscar mainstay, earning a record-breaking 12 nominations for Best Director: “Dodsworth” (1936), “Wuthering Heights” (1939), “The Letter” (1940), “The Little Foxes” (1941), “Mrs. Miniver” (1942), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946), “The Heiress” (1949), “Detective Story” (1951), “Roman Holiday” (1953), “Friendly Persuasion” (1956), “Ben-Hur” (1959) and “The Collector” (1965). His three victories for “Mrs. Miniver,” “The Best Years of Our Lives” and “Ben-Hur” — all of which won Best Picture — tie him with Frank Capra for the second most wins in the category (behind John Ford‘s tally of four). He competed additional times for producing “Roman Holiday” and “Friendly Persuasion.”
In addition to his own awards glory, Wyler directed 31 different actors to Oscar nominations, with 13 winning: Bette Davis and Fay Bainter for “Jezebel,” Walter Brennan for “The Westerner” (1940), Greer Garson and Teresa Wright for “Mrs. Miniver,” Fredric March and Harold Russell for “The Best Years of Our Lives,” Olivia de Havilland for “The Heiress,” Audrey Hepburn for “Roman Holiday,” Burl Ives for “The Big Country” (1958), Charlton Heston and Hugh Griffith for “Ben-Hur,” and Barbra Streisand for “Funny Girl” (1968).
Tour our photo gallery of Wyler’s 20 greatest films, including some of the titles listed above, as well as a few movies for which he didn’t receive Oscar nominations.
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20. THE BIG COUNTRY (1958)
Image Credit: United Artists/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by James R. Webb, Sy Bartlett, Robert Wilder, based on the serialized novel ‘Ambush at Blanco Canyon’ by Donald Hamilton. Starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, Chuck Connors.
Gregory Peck stars in this Technicolor epic as a New England sea captain who travels west to marry a rancher’s daughter (Carroll Baker), only to become embroiled in a land feud between two families. Charlton Heston steals the show as Steve Leech, the feisty, fiercely loyal foreman to the Terrill family estate. Burl Ives won Best Supporting Actor for playing Rufus Hannassey, patriarch to the impoverished rival clan. Though too long for it’s own good, “The Big Country” features some striking widescreen imagery and first-rate performances. Wyler earned a DGA nomination for his efforts.
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19. HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Harry Kurnitz, based on a story by George Bradshaw. Starring Audrey Hepburn, Peter O’Toole, Eli Wallach, Hugh Griffith, Charles Boyer.
Far from being an instructional video on grand larceny, “How to Steal a Million” is pure fun, a lightweight entertainment that’s all style and little substance. Audrey Hepburn plays the daughter of a wealthy Parisian (Hugh Griffith) who delights in forging priceless works of art and selling them to unsuspecting customers. When his copy of a famed Cellini sculpture is placed in a museum, it’s up to his kid and an intrepid cat burglar (Peter O’Toole) to pull off a high-stakes heist to save him from prison. Wyler keeps things bright and shimmery, placing his beautiful stars in a lovely French locale photographed in glorious Deluxe color by Charles Lang.
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18. THE WESTERNER (1940)
Image Credit: Goldwyn/United Artists/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Jo Swerling and Niven Busch, story by Stuart N. Lake. Starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Fred Stone, Doris Davenport, Dana Andrews.
“The Westerner” casts Gary Cooper as a drifter who runs afoul of the eccentric Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan) after he’s accused of stealing a horse. Knowing he’s facing certain death from the self-appointed hanging lawman, he saves his neck by pretending to be romantically involved with actress Lily Langtry — who Bean is infatuated with — and promising to deliver a lock of her hair. Though Cooper is the headliner, Brennan steals the show in a juicy turn that brought him his third Oscar as Best Supporting Actor. The film earned additional nominations for Stuart N. Lake’s original story and its black-and-white art direction.
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17. THE DESPERATE HOURS (1955)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Joseph Hayes, based on his novel and play. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, Arthur Kennedy, Martha Scott, Dewey Martin, Gig Young, Mary Murphy.
No one was better at playing bad than Humphrey Bogart, and in “The Desperate Hours,” you almost find yourself rooting for him as Glenn Griffin, the leader of a trio of escaped convicts who take a random family hostage as they await funds to leave town. Wyler, who won the National Board of Review prize for directing, keeps the tension nail-bitingly tight. Fredric March proves a capable sparring partner as the straight-laced suburban dad who must stand up to Bogie and his gang of thugs. This one holds up even better than Michael Cimino’s dismal 1990 remake starring Mickey Rourke and Anthony Hopkins.
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16. DEAD END (1937)
Image Credit: Goldwyn/United Artists/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Lillian Hellman, based on the play by Sidney Kingsley. Starring Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie, Claire Trevor, Allen Jenkins.
“Dead End” can’t quite escape its stage roots, but whenever Humphrey Bogart is onscreen, it comes alive in a way that is truly invigorating. An adaptation of Sidney Kingsley’s stage hit, the film portrays a day in the life of some denizens of an East River slum, including two lovebirds (Sylvia Sidney and Joel McCrea), a group of street urchins (The Dead End Kids) and a notorious gangster (Bogart). Wyler creates a lively neighborhood thanks to Richard Day’s sets and Gregg Toland’s cinematography, both of which reaped Oscar bids. The film also competed in Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Claire Trevor as Bogie’s ex-girlfriend.
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15. THESE THREE (1936) / THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (1961)
Image Credit: United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock; Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Based on the play by Lillian Hellman.
’These Three’: Screenplay by Lillian Hellman. Starring Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon, Joel McCrea, Bonita Granville.
‘The Children’s Hour’: Screenplay by John Michael Hayes. Starring Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica Cartwright.
Wyler first filmed Lillian Hellman’s taboo-shattering play in 1936 as “These Three,” which changed the nosy student’s allegation from one of lesbianism to an illicit love affair between three teachers (Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon and Joel McCrea). He remade the story in 1961 when the Hayes Code had loosened up a bit, more faithfully adapting the story with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine as the accused educators (albeit with heavy edits and innuendo). Strong performances help both films overcome their more melodramatic moments. The latter version brought Wyler Golden Globe and DGA nominations as Best Director.
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14. DETECTIVE STORY (1951)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Robert Wyler and Philip Yordan, based on the play by Sidney Kingsley. Starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O’Donnell, George Macready, Horace McMahon, Gladys George, Joseph Wiseman, Lee Grant.
Viewed today, Sidney Kingsley’s play about police life lacks the grit and edge that once made it a Broadway hit. But as adapted for the screen by Wyler, “Detective Story” is an effective enough melodrama about various characters weaving in and out of a New York precinct. Kirk Douglas is at the center as the rage-filled Det. James McLeod, who’s obsessively hunting for an abortionist (George Macready), only to find out his neglected wife (Best Actress nominee Eleanor Parker) once paid the doctor a visit. Lee Grant makes her film debut (and earned a Supporting Actress bid) as a frightened shoplifter. Wyler competed at the Oscars for directing.
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13. JEZEBEL (1938)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/First National/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Clements Ripley, Abem Finkel, and John Huston, based on the play by Owen Davis. Starring Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Fay Bainter, Richard Cromwell, Henry O’Neill, Spring Byington, John Litel.
The first of three films Wyler made with Bette Davis, “Jezebel” was Warner Bros.’s makeup gift to the actress after she lost the coveted role of Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind” (1939) to Vivien Leigh. Though it lacks the scope and scale of David O. Selznick’s legendary epic, it nonetheless provides its star with one of her best roles (and she won a Best Actress Oscar to prove it). She plays Julie Marsden, a headstrong Southern belle who loses her beau (Henry Fonda) due to her bratty behavior. Fay Bainter won the Best Supporting Actress prize for playing Julie’s aunt, and the film competed in three more categories, including Best Picture.
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12. FRIENDLY PERSUASION (1956)
Image Credit: Snap/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Michael Wilson, based on the novel by Jessamyn West. Starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton, Phyllis Love, Peter Mark Richman, Marjorie Main, John Smith.
On the surface, “Friendly Persuasion” is a warmhearted drama about a Quaker family struggling to remain pacifists during the Civil War. Yet lurking underneath is an allegory about the effects of the Hollywood Blacklist, of which screenwriter Michael Wilson was a victim (the film was originally released with no screenwriting credit; Wilson’s credit was restored in 1996). Gary Cooper stars as the patriarch of the Birdwell family, who preaches love and nonresistance above all else. Anthony Perkins costars as his eldest son, who’s torn between his desire to protect his family and his hatred of violence. The film earned six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Perkins). Wyler also won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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11. DODSWORTH (1936)
Image Credit: Goldwyn/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Sidney Howard, based on his play and the novel by Sinclair Lewis. Starring Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, Mary Astor, David Niven, George Gaye, Maria Ouspenskaya, Spring Byington.
“Dodsworth” firmly established Wyler as a premiere maker of prestige dramas, a reputation he would retain for over 30 years. Adapted from Sidney Howard’s stage version of Sinclair Lewis’s novel, it centers on a retired auto manufacturer (Walter Huston recreating his Broadway role) who goes on a tour of Europe with his wife (Ruth Chatterton). But during their long-planned getaway, they realize that their plans for the future are drastically different. The surprisingly thoughtful, sensitive film brought Wyler the first of his record-breaking 12 Oscar nominations in Best Director. It earned six additional bids, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Huston, winning for its art direction.
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10. MRS. MINIVER (1942)
Image Credit: SNAP/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Arthur Wimperis, George Froeschel, James Hilton and Claudine West, based on the novel by Jan Struther. Starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Reginald Owen, Henry Travers, Richard Ney, Henry Wilcoxon.
Wyler directed “Mrs. Miniver” before departing for service in WWII, leaving behind a box office smash that helped boost moral in America and England during the global conflict. Greer Garson stars as the title character, a British housewife whose family is torn apart by the ensuing war. Though it’s now in vogue to beat up on this once-popular crowdpleaser, there’s still an undeniable power to its sensitive story of courage in the face of adversity. The film brought Wyler the first of three Oscars for Best Director (although he was still serving overseas during the ceremony and unable to accept it) and won five additional prizes including Best Picture and Best Actress for Garson.
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9. THE COLLECTOR (1965)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Stanley Mann and John Kohn, based on the novel by John Fowles. Starring Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Mona Washbourne.
With “The Collector,” Wyler proved he was still capable of challenging himself creatively towards the end of his career. It’s almost shocking to see the Old Hollywood maverick working on such a disturbing story, but then again, he was no stranger to controversial material. Based on the novel by John Fowles, it stars Terence Stamp as a lonely young man with a massive butterfly collection who decides to kidnap a woman (Best Actress nominee Samantha Eggar) and imprison her in his home. It’s a testament to Wyler’s abilities as a filmmaker and Stamp’s talent as an actor that this crazed psychopath is almost sympathetic. The movie brought the director his 12th and final Oscar bid, and competed for its screenplay.
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8. THE LITTLE FOXES (1941)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/First National/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Lillian Hellman, based on her play. Starring Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright, Richard Carlson, Dan Duryea, Patricia Collinge, Charles Dingle, Carl Benton Reid.
“The Little Foxes” was Wyler’s third and final film with his frequent leading lady (and sometimes lover) Bette Davis. Adapted by Lillian Hellman from her own play, it casts Davis as Regina Hubbard Giddens (replacing Tallulah Bankhead, who originated the role on Broadway), a merciless Southern belle whose family will stop at nothing to make a fortune off of their cotton mill. Her ruthlessness knows no bounds, with even her sickly husband (Herbert Marshall) falling victim to her icy heart. Teresa Wright made her film debut as their daughter, while Charles Dingle, Carl Benton Reid, Dan Duryea and Patricia Collinge all recreated their stage roles. The film earned nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress for Davis.
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7. FUNNY GIRL (1968)
Image Credit: SNAP/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Isobel Lennart, based on the musical by Lennart, Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. Starring Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon.
Wyler can count amongst his many accomplishments introducing Barbra Streisand to movie audiences with this hugely entertaining musical biopic. She’s perhaps never been more luminous than she was playing Fanny Brice, the legendary entertainer who shot to stardom as a Ziegfeld girl in the early 1900s. Unabashedly overblown and lavish, “Funny Girl” is at its best when Baps is center stage belting out the show’s signature tunes, especially “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Streisand famously tied Katharine Hepburn (“The Lion in Winter”) for the Best Actress Oscar, and the film competed in seven other categories including Best Picture. Wyler contended at the Golden Globes and DGA, yet was snubbed by the Academy.
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6. THE LETTER (1940)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Howard E. Koch, based on the play by W. Somerset Maugham. Starring Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort, Gale Sondergaard.
The best of Wyler’s three collaborations with Bette Davis, “The Letter” is a steamy melodrama masked in a cloak of prestige. Based on the play by W. Somerset Maugham, it casts her as the cold-blooded wife of a Malaysian rubber baron (Supporting Actor nominee James Stephenson) who shoots a man to death and claims self defense. But a letter penned in her own handwriting makes it clear the two were actually lovers, which could spell certain doom. Davis has never been more unsympathetic, and we love every minute of it. Wyler bathes the noirish thriller in gloomy black-and-white cinematography (courtesy of Oscar nominee Tony Gaudio). The film earned seven Academy Award bids, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress.
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5. BEN-HUR (1959)
Image Credit: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Karl Tunberg, based on the novel ‘Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ’ by General Lew Wallace. Starring Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O’Donnell, Sam Jaffe.
Wyler won his third Oscar for directing this rousing historical epic. Set during the time of Christ, it centers on how Jewish prince Ben-Hur (Best Actor winner Charlton Heston) is sold into slavery by his Roman friend, Messala (Stephan Boyd), only to later return seeking revenge. Though bogged down by some slow, painful dialogue passages, it soars when giving into spectacle, especially in the famous chariot race (directed by Andrew Marton and staged by stuntman Yakima Canutt). Look out for some buried gay subtext (added by ghostwriter Gore Vidal) between Ben-Hur and Messala, which was apparently known to everyone except Heston. The film won a record-tying 11 Academy Awards in total, including Best Picture.
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4. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)
Image Credit: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht, based on the novel by Emily Bronte. Starring Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Flora Robson, Donald Crisp, Geraldine Fitzgerald.
Literary purists were appalled by this adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel, which only depicts 16 of its 34 chapters, slashing an entire crop of characters from the narrative. Yet Wyler perfectly captures the book’s gloomy, tragic mood, thanks in large part to Gregg Toland’s atmospheric black-and-white cinematography (which won the Oscar). Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon perfectly embody Heathcliff and Cathy, the doomed couple at the story’s center. The film does an expert job recreating Victorian England (with Thousand Oaks, CA, standing in for those windy hills), while the operatic performances make our hearts swoon. “Wuthering Heights” earned seven additional Academy Award bids, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Olivier.
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3. ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953)
Image Credit: Paramount/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton, story by Trumbo. Starring Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Harcourt Williams, Margaret Rawlings.
This effervescent romantic comedy introduced Audrey Hepburn to the world, winning her an Academy Award as Best Actress in the process. “Roman Holiday” centers on a royal princess (Hepburn) who has grown bored with her sheltered life. She escapes her guardians while vacationing in Rome, where she meets an American reporter (Gregory Peck) who’s hungry for a scoop. He agrees to show her around town, and love blossoms. The Oscar-winning script by Dalton Trumbo (working uncredited due to the Blacklist) develops their relationship in unique and surprising ways, while Wyler makes good use of his exotic location. The film won an additional prize for Edith Head’s costumes and earned seven more bids, including Best Picture and Best Director.
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2. THE HEIRESS (1949)
Image Credit: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, based on their play and the novel ‘Washington Square’ by Henry James. Starring Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins, Vanessa Brown, Mona Freeman, Ray Collins, Selena Royle.
Olivia de Havilland won her second Best Actress Oscar for this sensitive melodrama, adapted from Ruth and Augustus Goetz’s play (itself based on Henry James’ novel “Washington Square”). She plays Catherine Sloper, a dowdy spinster in 19th century New York who falls in love with a raffish young man (a dreamy Montgomery Clift) despite protestations from her cruel father (Supporting Actor nominee Ralph Richardson). Wyler keeps you guessing as to whether the guy truly loves Catherine or if he’s just in it for the money. The elegant production also took home prizes for its art direction, costumes, and score (written by Aaron Copeland) and earned bids in Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography.
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1. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
Image Credit: SNAP/REX/Shutterstock Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood, based on the novella ‘Glory for Me’ by MacKinlay Kantor. Starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Harold Russell, Cathy O’Donnell, Hoagy Carmichael.
Wyler came home from serving in WWII and used his own experiences to create the greatest film of his career. “The Best Years of Our Lives” centers on three returning veterans — a family man (Best Actor winner Fredric March), a wayward bachelor (Dana Andrews) and a young man who lost both his hands (Supporting Actor winner Harold Russell) — who have a difficult time readjusting to civilian life. Wyler avoids sermonizing and sentimentality, conjuring tremendous emotional power in his story of ordinary people facing everyday problems. Shot in a docudrama style by Gregg Toland, this is classic Hollywood filmmaking at its best. The box office smash swept the Oscars, winning seven prizes including Best Picture and Best Director. (Russell, a real life veteran, earned an additional Honorary award for his work.)
