Sunset Boulevard (1950)
“Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my closeup,” is the oft-misquoted line from Sunset Boulevard, one of the greatest Oscar-baits in history. An aging silent movie actress lives reclusively in her Sunset Boulevard mansion and dwells on her past fame instead of her ability to adjust to the modern era. A young hopeful screenwriter crosses her path and she becomes obsessed with the idea of a comeback. Wouldn’t every actress over the age of forty kill for that part, knowing they’d probably reserve the Best Actress Oscar in 1951? Well, Pola Negri, Norma Shearer, Mary Pickford, Mae West, and my personal preference, Greta Garbo, all refused the part. Anyone who knows their history knows that Gloria Swanson didn’t win her Oscar in 1950; she was beaten out by the ridiculous Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday.
Part of Sunset Boulevard that tugs at the audience’s heartstrings is the similarities between Gloria Swanson’s career and the plot points written for her character, Norma Desmond. Gloria was a silent movie star who worked prolifically for Paramount Studios; Norma has a line of dialogue: “Without me, there would be no Paramount.” Gloria’s career tapered off when sound pictures became popular, as did Norma’s. Many of Gloria’s silent movies were directed by Erich von Stroheim; in Sunset Boulevard, Eric plays Norma’s devoted butler who believes she’s the “greatest star of all”. If you find all those connections heartwarming, you’ll probably like this movie.
All the other parts of Sunset Boulevard, the ones that don’t tug on the audience’s heartstrings, make me dislike the movie. First off, the opening scene is one of the worst opening scenes in any old movie I’ve ever seen! The beginning ruins the entire story, and there’s no way the audience can forget what’s just been spoiled. If by some miracle you’ve never seen this movie, do yourself a favor and fast-forward the first five minutes.
I’m not a William Holden fan, so I would have preferred Montgomery Clift, who was actually signed on for the part, and whom I like very much. Fred MacMurray, another choice during casting, would have also been great, since he mastered the “voice-over” film noir technique years earlier. All the scenes of Bill by himself or with his love interest, the forgettable Nancy Olson, feel like a B-picture. The first few times I saw this movie, my mind had tried to help me by forgetting William Holden was even in it; I was continually disappointed to watch him in the vast majority of the film.
This one’s a classic, so if you’re an old movie buff, you can’t really get away with skipping this one. Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t become your favorite, though; you’re not alone. I don’t really like this one and feel the connection Gloria Swanson had to her character elevated it to Classic status. She may have won the “part of a lifetime” but in my opinion, many, many other actresses could have given an equally effective performance.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1956 remake Sunset Boulevard here!
More William Holden movies here!
More Buster Keaton movies here!
Part of Sunset Boulevard that tugs at the audience’s heartstrings is the similarities between Gloria Swanson’s career and the plot points written for her character, Norma Desmond. Gloria was a silent movie star who worked prolifically for Paramount Studios; Norma has a line of dialogue: “Without me, there would be no Paramount.” Gloria’s career tapered off when sound pictures became popular, as did Norma’s. Many of Gloria’s silent movies were directed by Erich von Stroheim; in Sunset Boulevard, Eric plays Norma’s devoted butler who believes she’s the “greatest star of all”. If you find all those connections heartwarming, you’ll probably like this movie.
All the other parts of Sunset Boulevard, the ones that don’t tug on the audience’s heartstrings, make me dislike the movie. First off, the opening scene is one of the worst opening scenes in any old movie I’ve ever seen! The beginning ruins the entire story, and there’s no way the audience can forget what’s just been spoiled. If by some miracle you’ve never seen this movie, do yourself a favor and fast-forward the first five minutes.
I’m not a William Holden fan, so I would have preferred Montgomery Clift, who was actually signed on for the part, and whom I like very much. Fred MacMurray, another choice during casting, would have also been great, since he mastered the “voice-over” film noir technique years earlier. All the scenes of Bill by himself or with his love interest, the forgettable Nancy Olson, feel like a B-picture. The first few times I saw this movie, my mind had tried to help me by forgetting William Holden was even in it; I was continually disappointed to watch him in the vast majority of the film.
This one’s a classic, so if you’re an old movie buff, you can’t really get away with skipping this one. Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t become your favorite, though; you’re not alone. I don’t really like this one and feel the connection Gloria Swanson had to her character elevated it to Classic status. She may have won the “part of a lifetime” but in my opinion, many, many other actresses could have given an equally effective performance.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1956 remake Sunset Boulevard here!
More William Holden movies here!
More Buster Keaton movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Actress of 1950: Gloria Swanson
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor: Erich von Stroheim