(1902 – 1981) Wyler’s reputation as a Hollywood film director veers from that of a meticulous and creative craftsperson to a plodding dullard who had little eye for visual storytelling.

Wyler did his best work when he worked for producer Samuel Goldwyn, who supported his efforts with studio artisans like cinematographer Gregg Toland. He drifted visually and thematically in the 1960s when the studio system had broken down. Three Wyler films won Best Director and Best Film Oscars: Mrs Miniver (1942), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Ben-Hur (1959).