When struggling writer Joe crosses the path of ageing silent film queen Norma Desmond, his life take takes a dramatic turn for the worst. Although the diva in denial buys and offers him everything, he soon discovers that he has become a prisoner in her mansion, editing her script that she believes will be her glorious return to the screen. As Norma develops an attachment to him, Joe quickly realises that he must leave the mansion, but his decision to do so would be his last.
This film is in my film bible and that was really the basis on which I decided to rent it out. I had no idea what it was about and was both shocked and enthralled when I discovered that it is a deliciously sinister drama filled with trinkets, glamour, mental illness, lies, and finally, murder. With performances as grandiose as those in All About Eve, and a story almost as thrilling as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Sunset Boulevard is a memorable and deeply moving drama about the strain of Hollywood and the struggles that it affords.
A terrible murder has taken place on Sunset Boulevard. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. The story begins when struggling writer, Joe, crosses paths with an ageing queen of silent film, Norma Desmond. Having struggled through the transition from silent film to talkies, Norma has written a script, a script that she believes will see her triumphant return to the screen. Hiring Joe to edit and work on the script with her, Norma spoils him and buys and gives him every luxury that he could ever dream of. But soon Joe realises that all these luxuries have made him a prisoner in her mansion on Sunset Boulevard and, as soon as he realises that Norma has developed a strong attachment to him, he decides that he must leave the mansion and the project. Unfortunately, this is to be the last decision Joe will ever make.
It would only make sense, at the beginning of this review, to talk about the unique plot device that makes this film so memorable and special. The film begins with the hero’s murder, not dissimilar to the beginning of American Beauty. From that initial scene, the film then backtracks and retells the story of how that outcome came to be, using voice over narration from the hero. It’s a very clever plot device, one that successfully keeps the audience enthralled.
William Holden stars as Joe and he was brilliant. You could never quite work out what was going through his mind, and if it wasn’t for the narration, he would have seemed just a shell of a human being. Believe it or not, it’s really hard to play a part like that and I salute William Holden for doing so.
Gloria Swanson stars as Norma Desmond and she was an absolute diva. Everything about her was theatrical and grandiose and it was all so delightfully dramatic and sinister. This film was made in the same year as All About Eve, 1950 I believe it was, and I have to say that Gloria’s performance was an alarming precursor/mix between Bette Davis’ characters in All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. She was absolutely mesmerising and gave us that famous line “I’m ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.” Ooh it just sends shivers down the spine.
Starring Erich Von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough, Jack Webb, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, Anna Q. Nilsson, and Buster Keaton, Sunset Boulevard was a fantastic, spine-tingling drama that was filled with romance, denial, glamour, deceit, and murder. I loved it to bits.
A terrible murder has taken place on Sunset Boulevard. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. The story begins when struggling writer, Joe, crosses paths with an ageing queen of silent film, Norma Desmond. Having struggled through the transition from silent film to talkies, Norma has written a script, a script that she believes will see her triumphant return to the screen. Hiring Joe to edit and work on the script with her, Norma spoils him and buys and gives him every luxury that he could ever dream of. But soon Joe realises that all these luxuries have made him a prisoner in her mansion on Sunset Boulevard and, as soon as he realises that Norma has developed a strong attachment to him, he decides that he must leave the mansion and the project. Unfortunately, this is to be the last decision Joe will ever make.
It would only make sense, at the beginning of this review, to talk about the unique plot device that makes this film so memorable and special. The film begins with the hero’s murder, not dissimilar to the beginning of American Beauty. From that initial scene, the film then backtracks and retells the story of how that outcome came to be, using voice over narration from the hero. It’s a very clever plot device, one that successfully keeps the audience enthralled.
William Holden stars as Joe and he was brilliant. You could never quite work out what was going through his mind, and if it wasn’t for the narration, he would have seemed just a shell of a human being. Believe it or not, it’s really hard to play a part like that and I salute William Holden for doing so.
Gloria Swanson stars as Norma Desmond and she was an absolute diva. Everything about her was theatrical and grandiose and it was all so delightfully dramatic and sinister. This film was made in the same year as All About Eve, 1950 I believe it was, and I have to say that Gloria’s performance was an alarming precursor/mix between Bette Davis’ characters in All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. She was absolutely mesmerising and gave us that famous line “I’m ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.” Ooh it just sends shivers down the spine.
Starring Erich Von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough, Jack Webb, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, Anna Q. Nilsson, and Buster Keaton, Sunset Boulevard was a fantastic, spine-tingling drama that was filled with romance, denial, glamour, deceit, and murder. I loved it to bits.
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