Book Review: Mr Wilder and Me, by Jonathan Coe

Mr Wilder and Me, written by Jonathan Coe, is a quirky, engaging read about the life of Hollywood film director Billie Wilder. Brimming with humanity, it touches on friendships, the dreams of youth, finding purpose in life, remaining curious, and struggling to remain relevant as we age in a world obsessed with youth. It is about kindness, regret, about coping with hardship without becoming bitter, and finding pleasure in simple things. There is heartbreak and tragedy, and revenge, too, when Wilder, no longer deemed bankable by Hollywood, finally secures German financing to make “Fedora”, a film nobody really believes in. Wilder’s Holocaust survival and Jewish heritage is revisited in the novel.

 Born Austrian, Wilder left Germany for America via France to escape the Nazis, losing track of his mother in the process, a tragedy that haunted him for the rest of his life.

 Billie Wilder’s charisma really shines throughout the novel, with his unique wit showcased by funny quotes and anecdotes backed up in the bibliography at the end of the book.

 The story is narrated by Calista, a Greek woman who is now middle aged, and who revisits her time spent working as an interpreter for Wilder after meeting him by chance over dinner in a restaurant while on holiday in Los Angeles back in 1977, when she was 21.

Over that initial dinner, Wilder and Diamond discuss finalizing the filming of “Fedora”, a movie about an ageing actress living as a recluse on a Greek island. After dinner, they offer Calista a job as an interpreter for the initial period of filming in Greece, but once this part of the production is completed, keep her on for the remainder of the shoot. Calista travels to France, England and Germany, meeting celebrities and film stars, and thanks to her close relationship with Wilder and Diamond, she is privy to all kinds of fascinating conversations. Her insights and observations drive the narrative, her youth giving it a fresh and innocent touch.

 Calista’s own story is lovely too; I enjoyed watching her evolve and pursue her musical dreams, but what I really admired was how the author used Calista’s voice to weave in so much fascinating information about the film industry, while also evoking the tragic backdrop of Wilder’s personal story.

 I loved it.

 What books have you read recently that you would recommend?

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