Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Featured Audience Ratings

• c0up  

  
  'Sunset Boulevard'. A landmark film. Norma Desmond. A character like no other. Billy Wilder has created something special in this beautifully written and directed, genius of a "Hollywood story". From the first moment the camera pans out from SUNSET BLVD and along… More
  'Sunset Boulevard'. A landmark film. Norma Desmond. A character like no other. Billy Wilder has created something special in this beautifully written and directed, genius of a "Hollywood story". From the first moment the camera pans out from SUNSET BLVD and along it with delicate precision, you know you're in for a treat. Gloria Swanson brings the amazingly rich, larger than life character of Norma Desmond to life wonderfully. Norma Desmond is obsessive, extremely manipulative and delusional. A washed up Hollywood starlet that has her former fame carefully maintained in the bubble that is her home by the creepy, but caring Max; the world in which William Holden's Joe gets roped into. When her world is slowly shattered by the truth, well, the delusion reaches even greater heights. A love story, a mystery and a look at the dark side of fame.

• Graham J

  
  A film that I can watch over and over, it is hilarious and sad all at the same time. William Holden's best performance and ofcourse Gloria Swanson is electrifying in a truly frightening portrayal of an actress past her prime.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Well, of course is good, it's a character drama above all else. I'm just not very fan of certain plot devices put there in order for the movie to, well, move on. The last thing i would do is giving my back to a demented person with a gun, but i guess that's the way it… More
  Well, of course is good, it's a character drama above all else. I'm just not very fan of certain plot devices put there in order for the movie to, well, move on. The last thing i would do is giving my back to a demented person with a gun, but i guess that's the way it has to be.

• Chris W

  
  This film about a struggling writer who becomes involved with a dangerously delusional washed up movie star is a film where everything about it, and all the pieces that make it up are top notch. This just may be one of the greatest films ever made. It's certainly one of the most… More
  This film about a struggling writer who becomes involved with a dangerously delusional washed up movie star is a film where everything about it, and all the pieces that make it up are top notch. This just may be one of the greatest films ever made. It's certainly one of the most influential. There had been plenty of films about Hollywood (or some facet of it) before this came out, but this one marked a turning point by being one of the darkest and most cynical take on the world of film. It's still pretty high on that list today. It is a satire too, and ranks with perhaps solely Network on as being the most bitter satire out there. This isn't really a horror film, but it sure as hell feels like one. Everything looks and feels really creepy and unnerving, and sometimes the tension is ratcheted up to its highest level. We the audience would like to feel pity for Norma Desmond, for the horrible way in which she's became ignored and cast off, but we can't because she's so out of touch that there's no really good way to get through to her. Whomever shows any sort of affection inevitably finds themselves forever trapped on a slippery slope. As I said above, everyrhing about this is just wonderful, but I especially loved the music, lighting, set design, and cinematography. Of course, the performances and direction are brilliant as well, but I really became hooked by the dreary set up of things, and the noirish quality of it all. That this was art imitating life only makes things more powerful and gripping. Do not hesitate to see this film. It in no way feels overrated. Sure, it doesn't seem so original now, but trust me, it's far better than all of its imitators.

• Thomas B

  
  Great direction, fantastic script and an emotionally ripping ending. Full review later.

• Anthony L

  
  Sunset Boulevard is cinema at its best. Everything about this film is glorious, from the acting, the directing, the script, to the set design to the make-up, everything here reeks of class and elegance. I also don't believe any other film has been narrated as well, and as for… More
  Sunset Boulevard is cinema at its best. Everything about this film is glorious, from the acting, the directing, the script, to the set design to the make-up, everything here reeks of class and elegance. I also don't believe any other film has been narrated as well, and as for Norma Desmond, she is with out a doubt one of cinemas greatest creations. Just brilliant and still brilliant after over 60 years.

• Daniel P

  
  Seriously, Billy Wilder never missed. In another noir classic to go with Double Indemnity, he gives us a wonderfully simple story of the fleeting encounter of a disillusioned, up-and-coming writer and a delusional, fading silent film star. In many ways, this is a film about films… More
  Seriously, Billy Wilder never missed. In another noir classic to go with Double Indemnity, he gives us a wonderfully simple story of the fleeting encounter of a disillusioned, up-and-coming writer and a delusional, fading silent film star. In many ways, this is a film about films themselves, what with all the narration - talking over the action the way story cards used to and revealing the shift in emphasis in a film to the wriitng and the story, and away from the simple moving picture itself. If not for Gloria Swanson's overacting - she does a good crazy, but sometimes, too crazy! - this might have been another five-star outing for the director who, increasingly, is approaching the title of "my favourite."

• Spencer S

  
  One of the most intellectually beautiful films made (especially about Hollywood), Wilder captured the spirited decline in the value of silent picture stars, Hollywood's obsession with youth and bravado, and an early look at the relationship between a benefactress and her kept… More
  One of the most intellectually beautiful films made (especially about Hollywood), Wilder captured the spirited decline in the value of silent picture stars, Hollywood's obsession with youth and bravado, and an early look at the relationship between a benefactress and her kept man, so diluted down from a simple vain creature and her employee, and into a puppet and its master. The lithe performance of Holden, so amazingly sly in his machismo, and Swanson mirroring herself and an image of extravagance and greed, were not only complimentary but made into a power struggle that kept a gasp at arm's length. Truly a masterpiece of epic proportions.

• AJ V

  
  It's very cool that Wilder made a movie about the silent film star, and this movie has some great moments, but overall I wasn't that impressed with it. The romance was predictable and there are some slow boring scenes as well. Overall pretty good, but I'm not sure… More
  It's very cool that Wilder made a movie about the silent film star, and this movie has some great moments, but overall I wasn't that impressed with it. The romance was predictable and there are some slow boring scenes as well. Overall pretty good, but I'm not sure I'd call it a classic.

• Stefanie C

  
  There is a reason why some films are deemed classics. This is the definitive Hollywood movie on Hollywood. The film is impeccable, containing all the right elements - noir, satire, humor, romance, mystery, glamor, seediness - a brilliant admixture of darkness and light. There is… More
  There is a reason why some films are deemed classics. This is the definitive Hollywood movie on Hollywood. The film is impeccable, containing all the right elements - noir, satire, humor, romance, mystery, glamor, seediness - a brilliant admixture of darkness and light. There is nothing I would change in this absolutely timeless cinematic achievement. Bravo!!!

• Albert K

  
  a claustrophobic engaging film

• Aditya G

  
  "Sunset Blvd." is a film that you cannot possibly miss! It has got to be one of the darkest movies I have ever seen. And to think it came out in the 50s..... It is the story of a lonesome actress of the Silent movie era, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who cannot come to… More
  "Sunset Blvd." is a film that you cannot possibly miss! It has got to be one of the darkest movies I have ever seen. And to think it came out in the 50s..... It is the story of a lonesome actress of the Silent movie era, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who cannot come to terms with the fact that her days of glory are long gone.... In such a scenario, a series of events lead to her meeting a young screen-writer by the name of Joe Gillis (William Holden). What follows is a tragic tale of madness....a tale which will show that Hollywood is not always the rosy picture it is made out to be! The film is brilliantly directed by Billy Wilder. Hats off to Gloria Swanson for her extraordinary performance as Norma Desmond. She totally rules the screen throughout the movie! William Holden is great as Joe Gillis. Also, equally good is Erich Von Stroheim in a supporting role. Rent this movie or just buy the DVD. It's very well worth it. 10/10.

• Conner R

  
  Itâ??s hard to classify in terms of genre, but Iâ??ve always considered it a Film Noir. It has a lot to say about the movie industry and its stars of the silent era, but thatâ??s more of a background element to the overall story. It has you classic mix of shady characters, money and… More
  Itâ??s hard to classify in terms of genre, but Iâ??ve always considered it a Film Noir. It has a lot to say about the movie industry and its stars of the silent era, but thatâ??s more of a background element to the overall story. It has you classic mix of shady characters, money and death. The acting is often overdone and cheesy, but thatâ??s one of the things that give charm to Billy Wilderâ??s films. Itâ??s a beautifully shot film and definitely an achievement when it was released. Itâ??s just one of those movies thatâ??s too intriguing to pass up. You can watch it numerous times and still love it. A truly original piece of film.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"I am big! It's the pictures that got small."</i> A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"I am big! It's the pictures that got small."</i> A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> "Sunset Boulevard" represents Billy Wilder at his most acidic and ghoulish, but it's a testament to his genius as a film maker that he could create a film as relentlessly bleak and cynical as this one and make it devilishly entertaining (and even quite funny at times) rather than unbearably depressing. There's a big fat heart at the center of Wilder's bitter pill, and it's one that could be easily missed amid the dark, film-noirish exterior. I think that ultimately "Sunset Boulevard" is about the love of movies. You can tell that Wilder loves movies as much as the sad and decaying film star Norma Desmond, played brilliant by Gloria Swanson. But he understands with an insider's point of view that there's a seedy underside to every business, and that's what he sets out to expose in his film. Movies get made and stars are born, but for every birth there's a death. I don't know how much of Swanson's performance is acting or her just being herself. If you allow yourself to think about it too long, Wilder's use of her is almost cruel, as making fun of Norma Desmond the character nearly amounts to making fun of Swanson the actress. The whole movie is uncomfortable in that same way--it's like a bunch of Hollywood used-to-be's got together and decided to let themselves be parodied for a greater cause. But the film stops just short of cruelty, because in many ways Norma is the most sympathetic character in the film, and every so often there's a glimpse of the vulnerable human being underneath that ridiculous getup that begs to be loved, and who can't relate to that? William Holden is perfect in a non-showy role that it would be tempting to pass off as an easy one. But I don't think it is an easy role. Holden has to be responsible for tempering the audience's reaction to Norma--he's the moral conscience of the film, and his steady presence anchors it and keeps it from sailing headlong into camp. There are so many quotable lines in this film, I don't know where to begin. Imagine this film and "All About Eve" coming out in the same year. It's a movie quote fan's wet dream. In an eerie bit of prophetic trivia, apparently Gloria Swanson thought this film would signal such a major comeback for her that she began plans to write a stage musical based on the film, starring herself. (She might even have gotten as far as completing it). Of course nothing ever came of it, and Swanson sunk quickly back into obscurity. But she would be vindicated to know that a stage musical did eventually appear, courtesy of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, and it actually does quite a bit of justice to Wilder's film.

• xGary X

  
  William Holden stars as a down on his luck screen writer who stumbles upon faded silent movie star Gloria Swanson whilst avoiding some repo men. He sees her as an opportunity to hustle a few bucks only to find himself mired deeper and deeper in her isolated, nightmarish little world.… More
  William Holden stars as a down on his luck screen writer who stumbles upon faded silent movie star Gloria Swanson whilst avoiding some repo men. He sees her as an opportunity to hustle a few bucks only to find himself mired deeper and deeper in her isolated, nightmarish little world. Another cynical classic from Billy Wilder, this film is a black hearted satire on Hollywood society and its obsession with image and self. Swanson is brilliant as the hilariously awful ex-starlet who surrounds herself with her own image, incapable of dealing with a world that has passed her by. Holden's character is not much more sympathetic as the self-interested operator, consumed with self loathing at his own parasitic relationship with the quite clearly insane old dame, and Erich Von Stroheim is creepy as hell as he lurks around, feeding his mistress' self delusions of grandeur. Similar, although not quite as good as Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, the lack of likable characters make this a little hard going, and it's a little melodramatic for my tastes, but the sharp dialogue, excellent performances and bizarre mix of psychological horror and black comedy make for fascinating viewing.

• Tim S

  
  One of the best movies ever made, still stands as an original work today. Gloria Swanson is hilarious, sad, and cringe inducing crazy all wrapped into one. William Holden is also believable as the straight man with some depth. I guess what I really enjoyed was the role that Erich von… More
  One of the best movies ever made, still stands as an original work today. Gloria Swanson is hilarious, sad, and cringe inducing crazy all wrapped into one. William Holden is also believable as the straight man with some depth. I guess what I really enjoyed was the role that Erich von Stroheim played and thought his back story was great. I also enjoyed seeing some other great silent film era legends in the film like Buster Keaton and Cecil B. DeMille. Extraordinary film.

• Randy T

  
  One of the best film noir pictures ever made. Just look at the plethora of glowing reviews. Not much more can be said. So... Let us digress for a moment and delve into the rarely discussed realm of the subtext, the underbelly if you will, of this iconic American classic. There are… More
  One of the best film noir pictures ever made. Just look at the plethora of glowing reviews. Not much more can be said. So... Let us digress for a moment and delve into the rarely discussed realm of the subtext, the underbelly if you will, of this iconic American classic. There are certain realities concerning Sunset Boulevard that are inescapable. One of the more evident ones is the non-platonic relationship between 50-something Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) and 30-something Joe Gillis (William Holden). To get the full effect of the circumstance one must, if only for a moment, visualize the two of them together... mono a mono. Personally, every time I try to wrap my brain around that I throw up a little in my mouth. My twisted imagination conjures up a Harold-n-Maude(ish) image. I know what you're thinking. It is an unsettling mental visage that no one (except of course ME) would ever dwell on. Still, its a crucial concept that must be grasped if you're to immerse yourself in the ambiance of the picture and fully appreciate its geriatric sexuality.

• First L

  
  William Holden plays Joe, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter living in hollywood. The poor guy can't afford to make his car payments and no one seems interested in his hackneyed screenplays. One day while escaping from repo men, he stumbles upon a scene right out of an Edgar Allen… More
  William Holden plays Joe, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter living in hollywood. The poor guy can't afford to make his car payments and no one seems interested in his hackneyed screenplays. One day while escaping from repo men, he stumbles upon a scene right out of an Edgar Allen Poe story. It's the home of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), star of the silent era who hasn't really been seen in 30 years. She lives in this hollywood house of Usher with Max (Erich Von Stroheim), a servant so loyal he'll do anything to keep her delusions of stardom alive (even writing dozens of phony fan letters to her every week). Everything in this house is creepy, the pipe organ in the front room plays dischordant chords whenever the wind blows through it, and there's rats in the abandoned swimming pool. Miss Desmond herself seems positively off her rocker; as Joe walks into the house for the first time, she mistakes him for a funeral director she'd called to bring a coffin for the chimp who died and was laying in wake in her bedroom. After Joe corrects her, she presents him with a script she's been writing over the last few decades. It's intended to be a return to stardom for her, but proves to be a gordian knot for Joe when she asks him to "punch it up" for her. Joe quickly goes from being the hired writer to the "kept" man, and he doesn't like it one bit. And yet, he can't bring himself to leave Norma, even when he meets a feisty script-reader (Nancy Olson), whom he sneaks out at night to collaborate with. It's not clear he even can leave her, though. From the beginning, he seems trapped in a web like a fly. Director Billy Wilder uses this house of usher horror scene to skewer man's view of his relationships with women. Norma Desmond as the wife, locking the man into marriage, old, matronly, takes care of his wants and needs, and yet he feels trapped, there's no romance. It's only through the younger new woman he feels the tingle of fresh love. But even taken at surface value, the movie creates a great atmosphere as we pity poor Norma, a woman who exists soley in her past, unable to cope with the loss of youth. Buster Keaton and Cecil B. Demille play themselves in this movie, and the famous line "Mr. Demille, I'm ready for my close-up" isn't spoken in some moment of final triumph, but in final defeat. Gloria Swanson's portrayal of the sad and psychotic Norma Desmond is both brilliant and hilariously over-the-top, as Norma puts it, she "speaks with her eyes". This is a well put together movie, with great performances and great dialogue. Simply put, it's a classic.

• Lanning :

  
  From a writing standpoint, kudos for this script. <p> There is something about getting old, in Hollywood, that is imminently topical. In this movie about making movies, the notion of growing too old to draw an audience echoes a kind of universally unspoken nightmare for… More
  From a writing standpoint, kudos for this script. <p> There is something about getting old, in Hollywood, that is imminently topical. In this movie about making movies, the notion of growing too old to draw an audience echoes a kind of universally unspoken nightmare for everyone who becomes a "star." </p><p> How ironic that this really was Gloria Swanson's swan song. After this it was all a path to obscurity for her with mostly TV parts until the end. Her melodramatic acting style is almost so over the top that you might be tempted to laugh in some scenes, but the fact that her character's story is so sad keeps you from doing so. Swanson would have had my vote for the Oscar.</p><p> William Holden is so good in this; dying young is one sure solution to the problem of aging. My favorite player is Cecil B. DeMille as himself. He completely and sympathetically understands the aging star's tragedy. </p><p> In Hollywood, how old is too old? An interesting commentary on a problem that must plague many Hollywood industry folks even to this day. </p><p> Okay, here's a question for everyone who might want to think about it: In literature, when a narrator continues to speak after death, is that an artistic problem, or, in this case, is that perhaps a commentary on art and immortality?</p>

• moon r

  
  bill holden is the new blood of hollywood forced to condescend to entertain one of old hollywood's legends, and lawdy, lawdy, lawdy, how does one tolerate the egotistical ol' shrew? it's the point of view bill wilder only seems to endorse...… More
  bill holden is the new blood of hollywood forced to condescend to entertain one of old hollywood's legends, and lawdy, lawdy, lawdy, how does one tolerate the egotistical ol' shrew? it's the point of view bill wilder only seems to endorse... <br/><br/>wilder's ultimate consideration for killing the younger generation still makes points...hot lead in yer back, punk! <br/><br/>and, but of course, gloria swanson's movie.

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