Mankiewicz (
Mankiewicz),
Joseph Leo (11. 02. 1909 - 05. 02. 1993), American screenwriter, producer and director.
He started his career in Berlin as a young correspondent for 'Chicago Tribune', while laboring transfer title of the German silent films for the British and American Rental. Returning to the United States, joined in Hollywood by his brother, screenwriter Herman J.
Mankiewicz, and he made his debut as a screenwriter in 1929. In 1936 he worked as a producer and also produced, among other things, such pictures as 'Rage' (Fury, 1936) Fritz Lang and 'Philadelphia Story' (The Philadelphia story, 1940) George Cukor. He made his debut in the director's 1946 gothic melodrama 'Dregonvik' (Dragonwyck, 1946), replacing the last minute patient Ernst Lubitsch. This was followed by successful comedy 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' (The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, 1947), 'The late George Epli' (The Late George Apley, 1947), the thriller 'Escape' (Escape, 1948) and the drama "House of Strangers' (House of Strangers, 1949).
. Drama 'A Letter to Three Wives' (A Letter to Three Wives, 1949) and 'All About Eve' (All About Eve, 1950) put forward
Mankiewicz of the leading American filmmakers, both movies won him Oscar for the screenplay and directing
. Weakness of many films
Mankiewicz had some of their on-screen histrionics at the expense of pace and dramatic possibilities of the cinema, but it is redeemed by the abundant bright witty scripts and a brilliant game of its actors. Dramatic comedy 'cause for gossip' (People Will Talk, 1951) was filmed in the tradition of the best films of Frank Capra. It was followed by one of the most dynamic films
Mankiewicz - spy thriller '5 fingers' (5 Fingers, 1952). 'Julius Caesar' (Julius Caesar, 1953), favorite film director himself, remains one of the best screen adaptations of Shakespeare.
. Follow his tapes were less successful: 'Barefoot Countess' (The Barefoot Contessa, 1954), 'Suddenly, Last Summer' (Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959, by Tennessee Williams) and others
. Among them was one of the most high-profile failures in the history of cinema - the film 'Cleopatra' (Sleopatra, . 1963), . location which cost an astronomical sum - 44 million dollars (more than 300 million in reappraisal of modern money), though, . the failure of the picture was more to blame for beginning to withdraw its Rouben Mamoulian and producers, . gave him carte blanche.,
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Mankiewicz dignity finished his career westerns with elements of black comedy 'lived a crook' (There Was a Crooked Man, 1970) and the psychological thriller 'bloodhound' (Sleuth, 1972)
. Michael Caine, starring in his last film, said about the director: 'It was a very intelligent man, with which I met in the world of cinema'. In 1986,
Mankiewicz won the director's guild for his contribution to cinema in 1987 - an honorary prize 'Golden Lion' at Venice Film Festival.
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Page D. L. Mankiewicz in "universal encyclopedia" on megaportals "Cyril and Methodius". Biography, picture.
