Genre: Drama / Filmnoir
Duration: 110 minuten
Alternative title: Sunset Blvd.
Country:
United States
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Stars: William Holden, Gloria Swanson and Erich von Stroheim
IMDb score:
8,4 (264.595)
Releasedate: 10 August 1950
Sunset Boulevard plot
"A Hollywood Story."
Joe Gillis (William Holden), a bankrupt film writer, hides from his creditors in the garage of an abandoned mansion. However, the house turns out to be the home of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a retired movie star. Joe moves in with her, while simultaneously trying to rewrite Norma's hopeless comeback screenplay. Weeks pass, and Joe becomes more and more isolated from the outside world.
Actors and actresses
Joe Gillis
Norma Desmond
Max von Mayerling
Betty Schaefer
Sheldrake
Morino
Artie Green
Undertaker
1st Finance Man
2nd Finance Man
Reviews & comments
remorz
-
- 2519 messages
- 2787 votes
Skilled and attractive.
The film starts out as intrigue with a fine shot of a floating body in a swimming pool, but gradually it shakes off that film-noir conspiracy content. Never quite, as the brooding atmosphere and witty voice-over continue to do their job, but in the end Desmond's femme-fatale elements are overshadowed by the tragedy of an aging actress who cannot accept that the world no longer adores her.
Good role by Swanson, who can lose her exaggerated delivery and facial expression as a former silent movie star. The role of the butler enhances her character's pitiful nature, while Gilles becomes more and more subject to her manipulative grip, until finally it becomes too late to escape.
The downside was the lack of chemistry between Gilles and Schaefer, clearly a plot device to wake him up without actually investing in it. Somewhere at three quarters of the film, the last bits of intrigue fall away and we have to wait for the sidelined actress to finally blow. A nice ending scene, but also a bit of a fizzle.
Extremely nice atmosphere, but give me Double Indemnity. 3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Don Homer
-
- 510 messages
- 1297 votes
Beautiful film noir by Billy Wilder. What can that man film. Good story that always remains sad because you already know the ending. The setting (the dated house including the resident) fits in perfectly with this. Great acting by everyone. The character Max was my favorite, including how he was portrayed.
Wilder originally had a very gruesome opening scene in a morgue with the dead asking each other how they died. This was (unfortunately) massively rejected in the sneak preview. I would have loved to see that scene.
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