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Robert Wise

Robert Wise

Director, editor and producer, also actor and writer · Died September 14, 2005, aged 91 · Winchester, Indiana, USA

Robert Earl Wise (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was an American sound effects editor, film editor, film producer and director. He won Academy Awards as Best Director for The Sound of Music (1965) and West Side Story (1961) as well as nominations as Best Film Editing for Citizen Kane (1941) and Best Picture for The Sand Pebbles (1966). Among his other films are Born to Kill; Destination Gobi; The Hindenburg; Star Trek: The Motion Picture; The Day the Earth Stood Still; Run Silent, Run Deep; The Andromeda Strain; The Set-Up; The Haunting; and The Body Snatcher. Wise's working period spanned the 1930s to the 1990s. Often contrasted with contemporary "auteur" directors such as Stanley Kubrick who tended to bring a distinctive directorial "look" to a particular genre, Wise is famously viewed to have allowed his (sometimes studio assigned) story to dictate style. Later critics such as Martin Scorsese would go on to expand that characterization, insisting that despite Wise's notorious workaday concentration on stylistic perfection within the confines of genre and budget, his choice of subject matter and approach still functioned to identify Wise as an artist and not merely an artisan. Through whatever means, Wise's approach would bring him critical success as a director in many different traditional film genres: from horror to noir to Western to war films to science fiction, to musical and drama, with many repeat hits within each genre. Wise's tendency towards professionalism led to a degree of preparedness which, though nominally motivated by studio budget constraints, nevertheless advanced the moviemaking art, with many Academy Award-winning films the result. Robert Wise received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1998.   Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Wise, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 10, 1914
Died
September 14, 2005 (aged 91)
From
Winchester, Indiana, USA
Works as
Director, editor and producer, also actor and writer
Titles
45 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What are Robert Wise's films like?

Across their 44 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 93rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
26%
Morality
21%
Self
19%
Survival
12%
Power
11%
Society
8%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 44 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 11 · Dark 22

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 9

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 21 · Intense 19

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 17 · Shifting 24 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 31 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 27 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 25 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 21 · Heavy 12

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 32 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
31
Melancholic
15
Dread
11
Romantic
11
Joyful
7
Other
39

How their films linger

Bittersweet19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic9
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Robert Wise's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 45 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Wise's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 45 with a MovieCove page; 39 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • A Storm in Summer(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Stupids(1996)

    as Stanley's Neighbor

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Rooftops(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Wisdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Executive Producer

  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture(1979)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Audrey Rose(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Hindenburg(1975)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Two People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Producer

  • Happy Birthday, Wanda June(1971)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Andromeda Strain(1971)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Baby Maker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Executive Producer

  • Star!(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Sand Pebbles(1966)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Sound of Music(1965)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Haunting(1963)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Two for the Seesaw(1962)

    Director · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • West Side Story(1961)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Odds Against Tomorrow(1959)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • I Want to Live!(1958)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Run Silent Run Deep(1958)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Until They Sail(1957)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • This Could Be the Night(1957)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Somebody Up There Likes Me(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Tribute to a Bad Man(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Helen of Troy(1956)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Executive Suite(1954)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • So Big (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • The Desert Rats(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Destination Gobi(1953)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Something for the Birds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • The Captive City(1952)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The House on Telegraph Hill(1951)

    Director · Additional Writing · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Three Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • Two Flags West(1950)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Set-Up(1949)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Blood on the Moon(1948)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Mystery in Mexico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Director

  • Born to Kill(1947)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Criminal Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Director

  • A Game of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Director

  • The Body Snatcher(1945)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Mademoiselle Fifi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Director

  • The Curse of the Cat People(1944)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Fallen Sparrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Editor

  • Bombardier(1943)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Seven Days' Leave(1942)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Magnificent Ambersons(1942)

    Director · Assistant Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Devil and Daniel Webster(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Citizen Kane(1941)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Dance, Girl, Dance(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • My Favorite Wife(1940)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Fifth Avenue Girl(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bachelor Mother(1939)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Informer(1935)

    Sound Effects Editor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 56 titles from 1935 to 2000.

Biggest box office

The Sound of Music (1965)

$162M worldwide

Highest rated

Citizen Kane (1941)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Sound of Music (1965)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 56: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting40 of 56: 30 only directing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thWriting1 of 56: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing11 of 56: 3 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score88thEditing11 of 56: 10 only editing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score90thOther crew3 of 56: 1 only other crew, 2 with another role

56 titles, 11 with more than one role.

By decade

1930s4 · crew1940s17 · crew1950s18 · crew1960s6 · crew1970s7 · crew1980s2 · crew1990s1 · acting2000s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Robert Wise's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 45; across their 44 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 44

Approval · how many liked their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 44

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 44

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Crowd Pleaser25
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

The Stupids (1996)

83rd percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Citizen Kane (1941)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 73/100 and the pacing 51/100 in their films, across 44 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Robert Wise's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles6–55 · median 27 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles6–31 · median 9 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles0–29 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles19–32 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles13–64 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Robert Wise work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Wise's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Roy Webb shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles