Directed by:
Billy WilderCinematography:
John F. SeitzComposer:
Franz WaxmanCast:
William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Franklyn Farnum, Jack Webb, Lloyd Gough, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper (more)VOD (2)
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Billy Wilder's masterpiece SUNSET BOULEVARD, a corrosive black comedy that remains the most memorable assault on the emptiness and vanity of the movie business, stars William Holden as young, down-and-out screenwriter Joe Gillis. Narrated in flashbacks by the now-deceased scribe, the film unwinds the series of events that left him lying face down in a pool. Unable to sell his most recent chef-d'oeuvre, and in hock up to his eyeballs, Joe stashes his car in the driveway of what appears to be an abandoned mansion on Sunset Boulevard while trying to elude some persistent repo men. Closer inspection reveals the decrepit property to be inhabited by grandiose former silent movie goddess Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), and her zombie-like manservant Max (Erich von Stroheim). Upon hearing that he's a writer, the lonely but still wealthy woman offers to pay him generously to stay at the house and work on her "comeback" script on the life of Salome. Although spooked by the people and the surroundings, in desperate straits, Joe takes the job, little suspecting the madness of the netherworld he's entered. Wilder's merciless portrait of the dangers of a profession that trades in fantasy cagily couples the cynical amorality of the never-was with the near-psychotic narcissism of the has-been to reveal the vacuity of wealth and the transience of fame. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
This is how I imagine a film that is so timeless and compelling in its premise that it can continue to captivate audiences even decades after it was made. Sunset Blvd. is an acting tour-de-force by Gloria Swanson, who took my breath away with her performance, demonstrating to a tee the acting techniques of the silent film era. Alongside this, there are noticeable elements of film noir that support a very gloomy and oppressive atmosphere at times. The highly stylized production design, the theme and the participation of the stars of the cast and director only make it all the more enticing to watch. A gem that definitely deserves attention because it is a work of craftsmanship.
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It occurs to me that it's not exactly flattery when (for example) Hollywood is referred to as the Dream Factory. If it makes the audience dream, that's good. But when the stars HAVE to dream because of it, it's worse. Sunset Boulevard captures all this transience very convincingly, mercilessly passes it on and still has something to say. Buster Keaton's role (he said one word, but twice!) delighted me, and Gloria Swanson, William Holden and Erich von Stroheim thrilled me.
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Sunset Blvd. is one of those films that I have to constantly re-evaluate within myself because too many people try to reinterpret it and rape its premise. I'd recommend more study of Gloria Swanson's career, as without her you have no chance to grasp this Wilder pun, even if you may struggle to endlessly analyze the narrative to your own taste.
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By watching Sunset Boulevard I have taken another necessary step towards the dream moment when I can finally call myself a full-fledged movie buff. It’s a concept that has remained practically unchanged over time and that we do not necessarily have to look at as a creation that has been obediently flattened according to the requirements of its era, and especially Hollywood. This, on the contrary, is a film that to a certain extent contradicts conventions, and by criticising them in a very innovative and striking way ("caustically" from the distributor's blurb is quite apt), it sends a quite clear message to future generations of filmmakers: I’m still here and you will not get rid of me. :) A beautiful Nancy Olson, a convincingly bleak Gloria Swanson, a charismatic Holden, and excellent direction by one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. In other words, satisfaction. 90%
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Another one of those films you hear about being great, being significant, and then you see it and realize it's all true. An amazing snapshot of Hollywood in its time. A tribute to the legends of the silent era, as well as a demonstration of how show business actually works. It's smart, it's very cynical, and it's truly breathtaking. A glimpse of Buster Keaton warms the heart.
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