Written by Wilder and Charles Brackett, who was also associate producer. His diary relates how Billy would spend time with editor Doane Harrison (Oscar nominated) on the desert hotel set planning shots for the next day, that Franchot Tone gave a bit of an insipid performance, that Miklos Rozsa's score had to be turned down a bit following previews. Acting honours go to Anne Baxter (The Magnificent Ambersons, The Razor's Edge, O. Henry's Full House, All About Eve) and Akim Tamiroff, who provides the heart to that last graveside scene. With Eric von Stroheim, Peter van Eyck, Fortunio Bonanova, Miles Mander, Ian Keith.
Billy's direction of his second film is assured, clever; John Seitz's cinematography outstanding (Oscar nominated).
And of course the writing is fantastic - that the waiter turns out to be a German spy - the body in the cellar - and lines like:
"If the circumstances we find ourselves in weren't so peculiar, I might turn you over my knee and spank you... with abandon."
"Thank you for your interest."
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