1950. Dir: Billy Wilder. Starring: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson and Fred Clark. ●●●●●
Now here's a random film that will test my mettle as a reviewer.
The first reason for it's success was the uniqueness of the story. The narrator gives the end of the story away in the first five minutes. We know a man is dead, we know a movie star is involved, we know we're about to see a big story with a big ending. Yet we don't know enough to spoil the film, we don't yet know the identity of the killer or the victim.
From this magnificent opening sequence we flashback 6 months to Joe Gillis (Holden) avoiding the repo men and desperately trying to sell a script. Holden is great at this sort of loveable rogue part: dryly humourous, quick witted and with a hint of self absorbsion. It's to Holden's credit that as the film goes on we always remain on his side, even as his character is reveaed to be more and more of a heel.
In his attempts to secure his car from repossession Gillis hides in what appears to be an abandoned mansion. Only it's not abandoned - it houses silent movie goddess Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), her creepy butler Max (Erich von Stroheim) and a dead chimpanzee. Gillis soon finds himself moving in as an editor for Norma's screenplay of Salome.
Kudos to the art direction and decoration team because this mansion is a character unto itself. Opulent yet decrepit. Instantly showing what Norma once was and what she has become. As the story develops the house becomes more glorious, reflecting Desmond's renewed vigour and optimism.
It has to work hard though to keep up with Swanson. She is magnificent, playing a grotesquely caricutured version of old movie stars, possible even playing an version of what she could have become. This was her first film in 9 years, and her biggest hit since she was in silent movies. And she seems to know it. Norma Desmond is not just a monster, she's a fragile caring woman as well. Swanson is able to show all these layers, even as the characters sanity slips away.
It's not all about the cast, though. The real reason for the success is the script. Billy Wilder (and co-writer Charles Brackett) were to have many more successes, although not together, and here they were both at the top of their game. Every line is pure gold, and usually endlessly quotable.
Sunset Blvd. changed cinema. It created the career of William Holden (for years he played a variation of Joe Gillis), it gave Billy Wilder much more freedom to pick his projects. It's framing technique was revolutionary, imitated by American Beuty amog other. By turning its eye on the seedy side of Hollywood it influenced others like The Bad and Beautiful and Singin in the Rain. It's influence camn also be felt in any film with stars fighting against the passage of time like Whatever happened to Baby Jane and Sweet Bird of Youth. In fact Tennessee Williams' output could probably only be produced after this gigolo and an older woman had had their tryst.
Overall there are few films that are as exciting and vibrant as Sunset Blvd. Watch it as soon as you can.
Now here's a random film that will test my mettle as a reviewer.
Sunset Blvd. is about as iconic as a film can get. The story of an ageing film star and her liaison with a on-the-make screenwriter is as indelible in everyone's minds as it was groundbreaking at the time. Who hasn't spoken to the mirror at one point or another: "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."
Let's try to breakdown why this film has such an appeal and what factors have made it such a success.
The first reason for it's success was the uniqueness of the story. The narrator gives the end of the story away in the first five minutes. We know a man is dead, we know a movie star is involved, we know we're about to see a big story with a big ending. Yet we don't know enough to spoil the film, we don't yet know the identity of the killer or the victim.
From this magnificent opening sequence we flashback 6 months to Joe Gillis (Holden) avoiding the repo men and desperately trying to sell a script. Holden is great at this sort of loveable rogue part: dryly humourous, quick witted and with a hint of self absorbsion. It's to Holden's credit that as the film goes on we always remain on his side, even as his character is reveaed to be more and more of a heel.
In his attempts to secure his car from repossession Gillis hides in what appears to be an abandoned mansion. Only it's not abandoned - it houses silent movie goddess Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), her creepy butler Max (Erich von Stroheim) and a dead chimpanzee. Gillis soon finds himself moving in as an editor for Norma's screenplay of Salome.
Kudos to the art direction and decoration team because this mansion is a character unto itself. Opulent yet decrepit. Instantly showing what Norma once was and what she has become. As the story develops the house becomes more glorious, reflecting Desmond's renewed vigour and optimism.
It has to work hard though to keep up with Swanson. She is magnificent, playing a grotesquely caricutured version of old movie stars, possible even playing an version of what she could have become. This was her first film in 9 years, and her biggest hit since she was in silent movies. And she seems to know it. Norma Desmond is not just a monster, she's a fragile caring woman as well. Swanson is able to show all these layers, even as the characters sanity slips away.
It's not all about the cast, though. The real reason for the success is the script. Billy Wilder (and co-writer Charles Brackett) were to have many more successes, although not together, and here they were both at the top of their game. Every line is pure gold, and usually endlessly quotable.
Sunset Blvd. changed cinema. It created the career of William Holden (for years he played a variation of Joe Gillis), it gave Billy Wilder much more freedom to pick his projects. It's framing technique was revolutionary, imitated by American Beuty amog other. By turning its eye on the seedy side of Hollywood it influenced others like The Bad and Beautiful and Singin in the Rain. It's influence camn also be felt in any film with stars fighting against the passage of time like Whatever happened to Baby Jane and Sweet Bird of Youth. In fact Tennessee Williams' output could probably only be produced after this gigolo and an older woman had had their tryst.
Overall there are few films that are as exciting and vibrant as Sunset Blvd. Watch it as soon as you can.
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