Two quick stories about Billy Wilder.
***
On one of the many films they did together, director Billy Wilder was having trouble with actor Jack Lemmon. After each take, Wilder would instruct Lemmon to pull back, saying, "less, do less." Every time, Lemmon pulled back, and every time, Wilder urged him to do even less.
Finally, exasperated, Lemmon snapped, "What do you want, NOTHING?"
Wilder looked to the heavens and said, "Please, God!"
***
When Hollywood executive Harry Cohn died, Billy Wilder was one of many, many people at Cohn's funeral. Someone asked Wilder why he thought there was such a huge turnout for the funeral of such a controversial and reviled man.
Wilder shrugged and said,
"Give the people what they want."
***
