Director's Series: Billy Wilder's SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

Films, sometimes, can be summed up in 1 word. Words like electric, tense, suspenseful, fun, magical and dramatic are often used.

For Billy Wilder’s 1950 masterpiece, SUNSET BOULEVARD, the word would be CYNICAL.

Shining a light on the seamy underbelly of Hollywood, SUNSET BOULEVARD tells the tale of struggling writer Joe Gillis (William Holden) who becomes the “kept man” of fading former silent film Superstar Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) who is out-of-touch with the reality of her situation.

It is a masterful, cynical look at Hollywood and now that I’ve seen 3 films from Wilder back-to-back-to back (DOUBLE INDEMNITY and THE LOST WEEKEND before this), Wilder’s cynicism of the world is evident in all of them.

In SUNSET BOULEVARD, Wilder scores a direct hit on Hollywood, securing the services of faded Silent Film star Swanson to play faded Silent Film star Desmond. But, in true Hollywood fashion, this “comeback” by Swanson was short-lived as she was offered variations of the Norma Desmond character throughout the remainder of her career and not much else after this award-worthy performance.

As for Holden, he was once Hollywood’s GOLDEN BOY (having starred in that film earlier in his career) and he desperately needed a hit film to keep his “A” status (after a series of less-than-stellar box office duds). So Holden/Gillis’ cynicism is real as well and mirrors where Holden was in his career.

And…to add to the cynicism…while Swanson’s career did not take back off after this film, Holden’s did with great…cynical (there’s that word again) roles in BORN YESTERDAY, STALAG 17 and the THE BRIDGE OF THE RIVER KWAI, establishing Holden as one of the best Leading Men of All-Time.

Wilder was able to do many, many “life imitates art” casting in this film as (besides Swanson and Holden) he cast former Silent Film Director Erich Von Stroheim as former Silent Film Director (and Norma Desmond’s butler) Max Von Mayerling to great effect. Even famed Director Cecil B. DeMille and radio Gossip Columnist Hedda Hopper play versions of themselves - as do former Silent Movie stars H.B. Warner (Mr. Gower in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE), Anna Q. Nilsson and the great Buster Keaton (who needed the job). All added layers of authenticity to the events in the film. Even the film studio that produced this film, Paramount Pictures, was happy to play the studio in this film figuring that “there is no such thing as bad publicity”.

The attention to detail that Wilder lavishes upon this production is outstanding as one is transported into the “wax-work” world of a former Silent Movie star with all the trimmings and trappings.

And…of course…with well known lines such as “I AM big. It’s the pictures that got small”…”We didn’t need dialogue, we had FACES”…and…the infamous ““All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up”, Sunset Boulevard is an unforgettable movie experience, indeed.

It was was nominated for 11 Oscars - and is one of the few films that was nominated for Best Picture, Director (Wilder), Lead Actor and Actress (Holden and Swanson) and Supporting Actor and Actress (Von Stroheim and Nancy Olson, who plays Holden’s innocent love interest). But, in a stacked year - ALL ABOUT EVE and BORN YESTERDAY were also in the Oscar running that year - SUNSET BOULEVARD would walk off with just 2 awards - Art Direction/Set Direction and Musical Score.

While this film has been parodied (wonderfully) by Carol Burnett and an Andrew Lloyd Weber musical version of this story is currently having a critically acclaimed revival on Broadway…give the original a try.

You’ll be glad you did.

Letter Grade: A

9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to theBank(ofMarquis)