Movie #41: Sunset Boulevard

Movie #: 41
Movie Title: Sunset Boulevard
Year Released: 1950

Director: Billy Wilder
Notable Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough

Short Description: A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. (IMDB.com)


Rank on the Top 100 Lists (as of 1/7/2013)

AFI.com: #16
IMDB.com: #32
Ranker.com: N/A
Lifed.com: #23
Empire.com: #63
FilmCrave.com: N/A
FlickChart.com: #80



Date Watched: 10/2/2016

Grade: 2.5 out of 5 (Satisfactory)

Rationale: Sometimes the act of showing the ending first and flashing back to reveal how you get to that point works and sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Sunset Boulevard I'm inclined to lean towards it doesn't. Most of the movie focuses on the crazy and obsessive Norma Desmond, played by a fantastic Gloria Swanson, and her attempts to make a Hollywood comeback with the help of the reluctantly captive screenwriter Joe Gillis, played by William Holden. Knowing Gillis' fate spoils any hope you as the view have for seeing him finally wise up and leave his pseudo-imprisonment after having failing to capitalize on multiple opportunities.