Sunset Boulevard

Directed by: Billy Wilder

Written by: Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, D. M. Marshman Jr.

"Sunset Boulevard" is one of the great films of yesteryear, and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to see it on the big screen at my local Classic Film Wednesday.

Joe Gillis (Holden) is a down-and-out screenwriter who, while trying to avoid the repo man, stumbles upon the decaying home of silent film great Norma Desmond (Swanson). Gillis finds himself struggling to remove himself from the deluded machinations of Desmond and her loyal butler Max (von Stroheim). Too late, he finds himself tied down to her and caught up in her schemes to return to silver screen glory.

So much can be said about this film (and much of it already has, elsewhere and better).

To start: Gloria Swanson's portrayal of Desmond's descent into total madness is one of the greatest performances of the era, if not of all time. The audience, like Gillis, is captured by her spell. She makes the climactic moment absolutely unforgettable, and delivers several classic lines that have been quoted (and parodied) ever since.

The way the story is told is also incredibly well done. We see everything almost exclusively through Gillis's eyes, which enhances the dark and mysterious atmosphere of the film - quite literally, we don't know what will happen next. Only at the end of the film, when the last key element revealed, is the audience able to see from a greater perspective.

I'm sure there is a lot to say about the film's subtext (or, perhaps not-so-subtext) regarding the changing winds of Hollywood, and whether or not that topic can still be applied to the modern film industry. Unfortunately, I just don't have the will to talk about it here. But, come on - think about it. Do I have to explain everything?

Something I noticed in this film that is worthy of discussion is the set design. A significant amount of the film takes place in Norma's grand and decaying mansion. There are several small details, like the missing door locks, which are perfectly executed. The mansion itself becomes a reflection of Desmond - once great, now diminished - and the set helps create this effect. The rooms are vast, but mostly empty. There is beautiful ornamentation and evidence of massive conspicuous consumption everywhere, but it has obviously been neglected for some time: the pool being the perfect example.

I could gush on and on about this movie. It's near perfect in most ways, and it's hard for me to criticize it in any meaningful way. I kind of want to watch it again right now...