Sunset Boulevard [DVD] [1950]
More than half a century after its release in 1950, Sunset Boulevard is still the most pungently unflattering portrait of Hollywood ever committed to celluloid. Billy Wilder, unequalled at combining a literate, sulphurous script with taut direction, hits his target relentlessly. The humour–and the film is rich in this, Wilder’s most abundant commodity–is black indeed. Sunset Boulevard is viciously and endlessly clever. William Holden’s opportunistic scriptwriter Joe Gillis, whose sellout proves fatal, is from the top drawer of film noir. Gloria Swanson’s monstrously deluded Norma Desmond, the benchmark for washed-up divas, transcends parody. And her literal descent down the staircase to madness is one of the all-time great silver-screen moments.
Sunset Boulevard isn’t without pathos, most notably in Erich von Stroheim’s protective butler who wants only to shield his mistress from the stark truths that are massing against her. But its view of human beings at work in a ruthlessly cannibalistic industry is bleak indeed. Nobody, not even Nancy Olson’s sparkily ambitious writer Betty Schaefer, is untainted. And neither are we, “those wonderful people out there in the dark”. Norma might be ready for her close-up, but it’s really Hollywood that’s in the frame. No wonder Wilder incurred the charge of treachery from his peers. It’s cinematic perfection.
On the DVD: Sunset Boulevard lends itself effortlessly to a collector’s edition of this quality. The film itself is presented in full-frame aspect ratio from an excellent print and the quality of the mono soundtrack is faultless: the silver screen comes to life in your living room. The extras are superb, including a commentary from film historian Ed Sikov and a making-of documentary which includes the memories of Nancy Olson. Interactive features such as the Hollywood location map add to the fun. –Piers Ford
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“Back at that pool again. The one I always wanted”,
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I watched “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) for the first time a few days ago, after a friend lent it to me. I am very grateful to him because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have rented it, or at least not anytime soon. And truth to be told, this is the kind of movie that you simply should watch as soon as possible. From my point of view, “Sunset Boulevard” is, like “Casablanca” and “The Maltese falcon”, a classic.
This film is directed by Billy Wilder, and narrated by a dead man that appears in one of the first scenes floating in a swimming pool. It sounds strange, doesn’t it? Despite that, it is very effective! The opening sequence is strong, but things get better and better as the story goes on. Despite that, a word of caution is in order: if you don’t like black humour, don’t watch “Sunset Boulevard”, because this satire of the perverse side of Hollywood has it in spades.
One of the main characters is Joe Gillis (William Holden), a screenwriter without money that happens to hide from his creditors in an old mansion that seems to be empty. That is unfortunately not the case… The mansion is no less than the home of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a rich woman that used to be a silent screen star, and that wants to be famous again. That appears to be the reason why she employs Joe to improve a very long script she has written for her comeback, and also the reason why she insists that Joe is to stay at her house in the meantime. Joe isn’t fond of the idea of staying in the mansion with the old woman and her creepy butler, Max (Erich von Stroheim), but he has no money, so he has to accept. Joe Gillis is like a fly caught in a spider’s web: from the moment he enters Norma’s house he is doomed, he just doesn’t know it yet.
What will happen? Well, you must watch this film to learn that. I can only promise you that “Sunset Boulevard” is the kind of movie you don’t regret watching. It is entertaining, insightful, has great performances and includes some of the best lines I have heard in a movie. Again, a classic. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Belen Alcat
PS: If possible, remember to watch the extra features after seeing this film. One of them, a commentary by Ed Sikov, is specially good, due to the fact that it allows you to learn several interesting facts about the cast and the making of this movie.
PS 2: I wil include here some of my favourite quotes from this movie. I’m sure they will make you want to watch it :)
-Joe Gillis: “You’re Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big”.
Norma Desmond: “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small”.
- [Joe is reading Norma’s script] Joe Gillis: “Sometimes it’s interesting to see just how bad bad writing can be. This promised to go the limit”.
- Norma Desmond: “We didn’t need dialogue. We had faces!”
- Joe Gillis: “There’s nothing tragic about being fifty. Not unless you’re trying to be twenty-five”.
- Norma Desmond: “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up”.
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|A dark and delicious classic gem!!,
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This is a great and extremely dark look at what happens on when the film cameras aren’t rolling. It tells the story, in vivid flash-back, how a down-on-his-luck script writer (William Holden) happens across a forgotton and ageing silent screen icon called Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) who believes she can help him revive his career and thinks that he can bring her back into the limelight again. She falls for him and showers him with gifts, and wants him for herself. He in turn thinks that she is mad and losing her marbles, but he soon finds himself in thrall of her madness and it soon leads to his downfall.
Quite possibly the best film I’ve seen on the dark and disturbingly desperate side of Hollywood, it begins superbly with a stunning opening sequence and having the voice-over of the deceased. One of the best opening sequences I’ve seen to possibly any film. The acting is first-rate with Gloria Swanson on blistering form as the forgotton silent screen goddess wanting to come back to the big time and William Holden equally impressive as the struggling writer. There are star turns by a handful of Hollywood’s elite of the time; Buster Keaton (one of the greats of silent screen), H B Warner and Cecil B. DeMille. Directed by Billy Wilder, a masterful director and screen-writer in his own right, it’s memorable, brilliant and sheer class. Features in my Top 10 no question.
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|Ready for your close up?,
Quite how this film ever got made is a wonder. Billy Wilder’s superb look at a faded film star’s attempt to make a come back is a triumph. A savage swipe at Hollywood, it’s loaded with classic one-liners and spine chilling irony.
The faded and long forgotten silent movie star Gloria Swanson is perfect as Norma Desmond (I shudder to think what Mae West would have done it had she done it as originally planned) and William Holden as a yet to succeed screen writer who decides to exploit the old star for everything he can get is wonderful.
The new dvd transfer is stunning and the extras are worth watching too. The more you learn about this film the more you enjoy it. One fact I learnt recently from an interview with Miss Swanson’s daughter that is not featured in the ‘making of’ sequence is that Gloria Swanson stayed in character throughout the entire making of the film run. Imagine having Norma Desmond as your mother??!
And now Mr De Mille……..
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