Editing Billy Wilder (section)

==Politics==
Wilder opposed the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]] (HUAC). He co-created the [[Committee for the First Amendment]], of 500 Hollywood personalities and stars to "support those professionals called upon to testify before the HUAC who had classified themselves as hostile with regard to the interrogations and the interrogators". Some anti-Communists wanted those in the cinema industry to take oaths of allegiance. The [[Screen Directors Guild]] had a vote by show of hands. Only [[John Huston]] and Wilder opposed. Huston said, "I am sure it was one of the bravest things that Billy, as a naturalized German, had ever done. There were 150 to 200 directors at this meeting, and here Billy and I sat alone with our hands raised in protest against the loyalty oath."<ref name =Lopez>José-Vidal Pelaz López. [https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/communication-and-society/article/view/36178/30707 Filming History: Billy Wilder and the Cold War]. ''Communication & Society'', 25(1), pp. 113–136. (2012).</ref>

Wilder was not affected by the Hollywood blacklist. Of the blacklisted '[[Hollywood Ten]]' he said, "Of the ten, two had talent, and the rest were just unfriendly."<ref name =Lopez/> In general, Wilder disliked formula and genre films.<ref>Morris Dickstein (Spring 1988). "Sunset Boulevard" ''Grand Street'' Vol. 7 No. 3 p. 180</ref> Wilder reveled in poking fun at those who took politics too seriously. In ''[[Ball of Fire]]'', his [[American burlesque|burlesque]] queen 'Sugarpuss' points at her sore throat and complains "Pink? It's as red as the ''[[Daily Worker]]'' and just as sore." Later, she gives the overbearing and unsmiling housemaid the name "[[Francisco Franco|Franco]]".