Sunset Boulevard (1950)
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A struggling screenwriter becomes entangled in the delusional world of a forgotten silent film star.
The story
At a mansion on Sunset Boulevard, the body of Joe Gillis is discovered in a swimming pool. The story then moves into a flashback six months earlier. Joe, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter, is struggling to find work when he seeks refuge in a secluded mansion inhabited by Norma Desmond, a former silent film star who believes she is still relevant. Norma hires Joe to work on a script she hopes will facilitate her return to the screen. As Joe becomes increasingly involved in her world, the line between his professional role and his personal involvement in her delusions begins to blur.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins with the discovery of Joe Gillis's body in a pool, followed by a flashback to six months prior. Joe is a struggling writer who finds himself at the mansion of Norma Desmond, a forgotten silent film star. Norma hires him as a 'script doctor' for her Salome project. Joe moves in, and the two develop a complex relationship while Norma's butler, Max, maintains her delusion of stardom. Joe eventually begins a clandestine affair with a young woman named Betty Schaefer. When Joe tries to leave Norma's service, he reveals the truth of her fading fame and Max's role in her life. This leads to a confrontation where Norma, believing she is being abandoned, shoots him. The film returns to the present, where Norma is arrested for murder. As police and press swarm the mansion, she descends the stairs in a delusional state, believing the cameras are filming her comeback, and delivers the iconic line, 'All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.'
- First release year
- 1950
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Billy Wilder
- Writers
- Billy Wilder · writer; Charles Brackett · writer; D. M. Marshman Jr. · writer
- Cast and characters
- William Holden · Joe Gillis; Gloria Swanson · Norma Desmond; Erich von Stroheim · Max von Mayerling; Nancy Olson · Betty Schaefer; Fred Clark · supporting role; Lloyd Gough · supporting role; Jack Webb · supporting role
- Genres
- black comedy; film noir
- Themes
- Hollywood fame; obsolescence; delusion
- Tone and mood
- noir; black comedy
- Premise and plot tags
- Hollywood; film industry; noir
- Reception
- Praised by many critics when first released, it is often ranked among the greatest movies ever made and was included in the National Film Registry.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 98% · scale: percentage · review count: 112; Metacritic · score: 94 · scale: 100 · review count: 32
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to be based on Evelyn Waugh's novel The Loved One.; The character of Norma Desmond is believed to be inspired by several real-life silent film stars.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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