Laura’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
This classic film features famous titans of Hollywood including William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Buster Keaton, and Cecil B. DeMille. The film takes parts of many real stories, including some from the lives of its own cast, to make up the plot of the compelling, quirky drama.
The Analysis:
Joe Gillis is a screenwriter in 1940s Hollywood, struggling to pay the bills as he waits for his stories to be bought by a studio. As he is avoiding the men trying to repossess his car, he pops a tire and turns into the driveway of a seemingly abandoned mansion. It turns out that washed-up silent film star Norma Desmond is the owner of the extravagant home and lives there with her devoted butler, Max. Upon discovering Joe is a screenwriter, Norma offers Joe wages and even lodging if he will help edit the script for a movie that she hopes will serve as her comeback. Desperate for cash, Joe reluctantly agrees, soon learning that working for Norma has its advantages, but may be more than he bargained for.
The black and white Sunset Boulevard features noir style cinematography, with surprisingly modern and witty narration. The narrator’s dry sense of humor and the themes in the movie are a refreshing form of classic film that I hadn’t experienced before. Sunset Boulevard is a story of obsession, devotion, and entrapment. It shines a light on the darker side of Hollywood, even in its early days. Debt, denial, and blind loyalty drive the actions of the main characters.
If I have a critique, it’s that a few concepts felt glossed over and could have benefited from additional explanation. I was left wanting just a bit more from the story: an additional twist, another backstory, or a follow up scene at the end. Despite these omissions, the main themes of the film shine clear. Fans of noir and older movies like Rebecca or Laura would enjoy this Hollywood classic.
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