Fred Zinnemann

Career / Biography

Fred Zinnemann was a European director who made some major Hollywood films. He learnt his film craft in Paris and then in Berlin where he met Nilly Wilder. He then moved to America that authenticity was important as was indepennce from the studio system. His first film was Redes in 1936. He then made several short films, including That Mothers Might Live which won the Oscar for Best Short. It was not until 1942 that he directed his first two feature films, that were crime thrillers. He was under contract with MGM at this time and after the scuccess of those first two film he directed Spencer Tracy in The Seventh Cross his first major film with a lead star actor. After the war he directed a couple of light drama's, but returned to examining the horrors of war with The Search. This was Montgomery Clift's first film role.His next two films dealt with the problems of soldiers returning from the war. The Men had Marlon Brando in his first film. He then directed High Noon, the film that made him a major director. This was followed by From Here To Eternitiy with an all star cast. This won him Best DIrector Oscar and Best Picture as well as being his most commercially sccessful film. His next film was a completely different genre, being the musical Oklahoma! He worked Audrey Hepburn on The Nun's Story and was one of her best acting performances. The Sundowners was filmed in Australia set in the ouback on sheep farms. Behold a Pale Horse was about dealing with the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. This was anothre of his films with a documentary feel. He followed this up with his one big historical epic, A Man For All Seasons. His next film was an adaptation of the book, The Day Of The Jackal. He wanted the challenge of making a film where the audience knew the outcome of the story. With Julia he returned to a war theme. His final film was Five Days One Summer.

Director

Five Days One Summer (1982)
Julia (1977)
The Day Of The Jackal (1973)
A Man For All Seasons (1966)
Behold a Pale Horse (1964)
The Sundowners (1960)
The Nun's Story (1959)
Oklahoma! (1955)
From Here To Eternitiy (1953)
High Noon (1952)
The Men (1950)
Act of Violence (1948)
The Search (1948)
The Seventh Cross (1944)
Eyes in the Night (1942)
Kid Glove Killer (1942)
That Mothers Might Live (1938) Short
Reded (1936)

Producer

Five Days One Summer (1982)
A Man For All Seasons (1966)
Behold a Pale Horse (1964)
The Nun's Story (1959)

Oscars

Won - Best Director - A Man For All Seasons (1966)
Won - Best Director - From Here To Eternitiy (1953)
Nomination - Best Director - Julia (1977)
Nomination - Best Director - The Sundowners (1960)
Nomination - Best Director - The Nun's Story (1959)
Nomination - Best Director - High Noon (1952)
Nomination - Best Director - The Search (1948)