It has been suggested that Norma Desmond be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Sunset Boulevard
Directed by	Billy Wilder
Produced by	Charles Brackett
Written by	Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman Jr.
Starring	William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	August 4, 1950
Running time	110 min
Language	English
Budget	$1,752,000 USD (estimated)
IMDb profile

Sunset Boulevard (also known as Sunset Blvd.) is a 1950 American film noir containing elements of drama, horror, and black comedy. Directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, it was named for the famous boulevard of the same name that runs through Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Sunset Boulevard (1950 film). ... Sunset Boulevard (movie) Sunset Boulevard (musical) Sunset Boulevard, a famous street in Los Angeles County, California This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Image File history File links SunsetBoulevardfilmposter. ... Billy Wilder (June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American journalist, screenwriter, film director, and producer whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. ... Charles Brackett (November 26, 1892-March 9, 1969) was an accomplished movie screenwriter and movie producer. ... D.M. Marshman Jr is an American film writer. ... William Holden (April 17, 1918 – ca. ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... See also: 1949 in film 1950 1951 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events February 15 - Walt Disney Studios animated film Cinderella debuts. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... A screenplay or script is a blueprint for producing a motion picture. ... Billy Wilder (June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American journalist, screenwriter, film director, and producer whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... Beverly Hills is a city in the western part of Los Angeles County, California. ...

It stars William Holden as down-on-his-luck screenwriter Joe Gillis, and Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a faded movie star and femme fatale who entraps the unsuspecting Gillis into her fantasy world in which she dreams of making a triumphant return to the screen. Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough and Jack Webb play supporting roles. Director Cecil B. DeMille and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper play themselves, and the film includes cameo appearances by leading silent film figures Buster Keaton, H. B. Warner and Anna Q. Nilsson. William Holden (April 17, 1918 – ca. ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Sunset Boulevard (1950 film). ... A movie star is a celebrity who is well known for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... Nancy Olson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Nancy Olson (born July 14, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actress. ... Clark in his film debut, The Unsuspected (1947) Frederick Leonard Clark (born March 19, 1914; died December 5, 1968) was an American film character actor. ... Lloyd Gough (September 21, 1907 – July 23, 1984) was an American theater, film, and television actor. ... Jack Webb John Randolph Jack Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer director, and writer who is most famous for his role as Detective Joe Friday in the television series Dragnet. ... Cecil B. DeMille on August 27, 1934 cover of Time Magazine Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine, that prints gossip stories, spreading news of a personal, private nature, and/or rumors and lies, usually about show business, the motion picture and television industries, celebrities, movie stars, superstars, people... Hedda Hopper on the July 28, 1947 cover of Time Magazine Hedda Hopper (May 2, 1885 – February 1, 1966) was an American actress and gossip columnist, whose long-running feud with friend turned arch-rival Louella Parsons became at least as notorious as many of Hoppers columns. ... Martin Scorsese appears briefly in an uncredited role in this scene from his feature film Taxi Driver. ... This article is about the comedy film. ... Joseph Frank Keaton Jr. ... H. B. Warner (26 October 1875, London - 21 December 1958, Woodland Hills, California) was a British actor, born Henry B. Warner. ... Anna Q. Nilsson Anna Quirentia Nilsson (March 30, 1888 – February 11, 1974) was a Swedish actress who achieved success in American silent movies. ...

Praised by many critics when first released, Sunset Boulevard was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won three. It is widely accepted as a classic, often cited as one of the most noteworthy films of American cinema. Deemed "culturally significant" by the U.S. Library of Congress in 1989, Sunset Boulevard was included in the first group of films selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. In 1998 it was ranked number twelve on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 best American films of the 20th century. The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... The Great Hall interior. ... The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ... The American Film Institute (AFI) is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act. ... The American Film Institute, celebrating the 100th anniversary of film, created several top 100 lists covering movies in American cinema. ...

Plot

The corpse of Joe Gillis floating in Norma Desmond's pool, in the film's opening scenes.

The opening scene reveals that a man has been killed, and his corpse is seen floating face down in a swimming pool. A narrator explains that the dead man was an unsuccessful screenwriter. The film fades into flashback as the narrator, now named as Joe Gillis, describes his attempt to flee by auto from two repossession agents. He turns into a driveway on Sunset Boulevard in order to escape them, and sees what he assumes to be a deserted mansion. He enters the house, where he meets a German butler and an eccentric older woman who mistakes him for an undertaker, visiting to arrange the funeral for her recently deceased pet chimpanzee. Gillis recognizes her as Norma Desmond, formerly one of the great stars of the silent screen. She offers him a job reading the script she has been writing for her planned comeback, and seizing a rare chance to make some money, he agrees. Download high resolution version (1276x952, 85 KB)screenshot of actor William Holden from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Download high resolution version (1276x952, 85 KB)screenshot of actor William Holden from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... In fiction, a narrator is a voice or character who tells the story. ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ... Repossession is generally used to refer to a financial institution taking back an object that was either used as collateral or rented or leased in a transaction. ...

Eventually, Gillis is completely financially dependent upon Norma, who lavishes attention on him and buys him expensive clothing; while he occasionally shows discomfort, he makes no effort to change his situation. He is horrified when Norma reveals on New Year's Eve that she is in love with him. Rejecting her attempt at seduction, he hitches a ride to a friend's house where a party is underway and speaks with a young woman named Betty who is interested in his writing. Inspired to continue his writing, he phones the Desmond house to say he is leaving, but is told Norma has attempted suicide. He rushes back to the mansion, where he comforts her and stays. The two seem relatively content as Norma continues working on her script. When she considers it to be complete, she sends it to Paramount Studios. She receives telephone calls from Cecil B. DeMille's office at the studio and assumes he is interested in filming the project. She travels to the studio and meets with him; Gillis and the butler learn the studio only wants to hire Norma's vintage Isotta-Fraschini car for use in a film and has no interest in her script, but the two of them keep this from her. Joe begins secretly meeting with Betty to work on a screenplay and they fall in love. When Norma discovers this, she phones Betty and insinuates what sort of man Joe really is. Joe returns to the house in time to hear what Norma has said and takes the phone from her. He tells Betty to come to the house, where he explains his side of the situation before turning Betty away. Misunderstanding his actions, Norma is grateful to Joe, but he brushes her aside and begins packing to leave. Norma threatens to shoot him, but he does not take her seriously. As he walks away, she follows and shoots him several times before he falls dead into the pool. The quality of this article or section may be compromised by peacock terms. You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... Cecil B. DeMille on August 27, 1934 cover of Time Magazine Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... The Isotta Fraschini logo Isotta Fraschini was know as The Aristocrat of Automobiles. ...

Having explained the corpse in the pool, the film returns to the present, where Norma Desmond appears to be lost in fantasy. News cameras arrive to film her, and she thinks she is on the set of her new film. Norma slowly descends her grand staircase and, after making a speech declaring her happiness at making a new film (culminating in the film's most famous line: "All right, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close up".), she reaches for the camera, the screen fades to white and the narrator concludes that Norma's dream of performing for the cameras has in an unexpected way come true for her.^[1]

Background

The street after which the film is named has been associated with Hollywood film production since 1911 when the town's first film studio opened on Sunset Boulevard. The film workers lived modestly in the growing neighborhood, but during the 1920s profits and salaries rose to unprecedented levels. With the advent of the "star system", luxurious homes noted for their often incongruous grandeur were built in the area. The stars were the subject of public fascination throughout the world as magazines and newspapers reported the excesses of their lives. Sunset Boulevard (officially known as West Sunset Boulevard, except in Beverly Hills) is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. ... The star system was the method of creating and promoting film stars in Classical Hollywood cinema. ...

As a young man in Warsaw, Poland, Billy Wilder was interested in American culture, with much of his interest fueled by American films. In the late 1940s many of the grand Hollywood houses remained, and Wilder, now a Los Angeles resident, found they were part of his everyday world. Many former stars from the silent era still lived in them, although most were no longer involved in the film business. Wilder wondered how they spent their time now that "the parade had passed them by" and began imagining the story of a star who had lost her celebrity and box-office appeal. ^[2] Warsaw (Polish: , , in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ...

Casting

The main cast - William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Nancy Olson and Erich von Stroheim.

Image File history File links SunsetBoulevardMainCastMembers. ... Image File history File links SunsetBoulevardMainCastMembers. ... William Holden (April 17, 1918 – ca. ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... Nancy Olson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Nancy Olson (born July 14, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actress. ... Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ...

Main cast

• Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond
• William Holden as Joe Gillis
• Erich von Stroheim as Max von Mayerling
• Nancy Olson as Betty Schaeffer

Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... William Holden (April 17, 1918 – ca. ... Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... Nancy Olson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Nancy Olson (born July 14, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actress. ...

Cast selection

In 1948 Wilder discussed the Norma Desmond character with Greta Garbo (who had not made a movie since 1941) in the hope she might return to the screen. However, she expressed little interest. The role was then offered to Mae West who declared herself too young to play a former silent-movie star. Wilder recalled that "in a bout of insanity" he and Charles Brackett visited Mary Pickford. She was interested but cautious and was ruled out when she disagreed with the storyline. They also approached Pola Negri who "threw a tantrum at the mere suggestion of playing a has-been" and refused the role.^[2] Greta Garbo (September 18, 1905 – April 15, 1990) was a Swedish actress that is, by reputation, one of the greatest and most inscrutable movie stars ever to be produced by MGM and the Hollywood studio system. ... MAE-West is a major Internet peering point located in San Jose, California. ... Charles Brackett (November 26, 1892-March 9, 1969) was an accomplished movie screenwriter and movie producer. ... Mary Pickford (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was an Oscar-winning Canadian-born motion picture star and co-founder of United Artists, known as Americas Sweetheart, Little Mary and the girl with the golden curls. ... Pola Negri Pola Negri [1] (December 31, 1894 - August 1, 1987) was a Polish film actress who achieved notoriety as a femme fatale in silent films between 1910s and 1930s. ...

George Cukor suggested Gloria Swanson. Wilder later commented they had not considered her because they thought she was "somehow unattainable." Swanson had been one of the most feted actresses of the silent-screen era, known for her beauty, talent and extravagant lifestyle. At the peak of her career in 1925 she was said to have received 10,000 fan letters in a single week and had lived on Sunset Boulevard in an elaborate Italianate palace from 1920 until the early 1930s. In many ways she resembled the Norma Desmond character and, like her, she had been unable to make a smooth transition into talking pictures. The similarities ended there though, as Swanson accepted the end of her film career and in the early 1930s moved to New York City where she worked in radio and, from the mid 1940s, in television. Although Swanson was not seeking a comeback, she was intrigued when Wilder discussed the role with her. ^[2] George Dewey Cukor (July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director. ... A sound film (or talkie) is a motion picture with synchronized sound, as opposed to a silent movie. ... Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ...

Swanson was chagrined at the notion of submitting to a screen test, saying she had "made twenty films for Paramount. Why do they want me to audition?" Her reaction was later echoed in the screenplay when Norma Desmond declares, "without me there wouldn't be any Paramount." In her memoir Swanson recalled asking Cukor if it was unreasonable to refuse the screen test. He replied that Norma Desmond was the role for which she would be remembered. "If they ask you to do ten screen tests, do ten screen tests, or I will personally shoot you," Cukor replied. His enthusiasm convinced Swanson to participate. ^[3] In a 1975 interview Wilder recalled Swanson's reaction with the observation, "there was a lot of Norma in her, you know."^[4] Screen Test was a British childrens quiz show produced by the BBC which ran from 1969 to 1984. ...

Montgomery Clift was signed to play Joe Gillis but withdrew, likely due to concerns of unflattering comparisons with his real life, in which he was dating an older woman. Then Fred MacMurray declined the role. William Holden, who had made an impressive debut in Golden Boy (1939) and Our Town (1940), followed by WWII military service and a modestly successful return to film in the late 1940s, accepted the part. Edward Montgomery Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American actor known by the stage name of Montgomery Clift. ... Fred MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was a Hollywood actor who appeared in over one hundred movies, during a career that lasted from the 1930s to the 1970s. ... Golden Boy is the title of a play by Clifford Odets, first staged in 1937 by the Group Theatre. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Erich von Stroheim, a leading film director of the 1920s, who had directed Swanson, was signed to play Max, the faithful servant and Norma's protector. For the role of Betty Schaeffer, Wilder wanted a newcomer who could project a wholesome and ordinary image to contrast with Swanson's flamboyant and obsessive Desmond. He chose Nancy Olson, who had recently been considered for the role of Delilah in DeMille's Samson and Delilah. ^[5] Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... Nancy Olson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Nancy Olson (born July 14, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actress. ... Samson and Dalilah by Tintoretto (1518 - 1594) Delilah or Dlila (דְּלִילָה, Standard Hebrew meaning [One who] weakened or uprooted or impoverished from the root dal meaning weak or poor. Also: Dəlila, Tiberian Hebrew Dəlîlāh; Arabic... Samson and Delilah is a 1949 film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as the title characters. ...

Writing

Wilder and Brackett began working on a script in 1948 but the result did not completely satisfy them. In August 1948 D.M. Marshman Jr., formerly a writer for Life Magazine, was hired to help develop the storyline after Wilder and Brackett were impressed by a critique he provided of their film The Emperor Waltz (1948). D.M. Marshman Jr is an American film writer. ... A cover of Life Magazine from 1911 Life has been the name of two notable magazines published in the United States. ... The Emperor Waltz is a 1948 comedy musical film, directed by Billy Wilder, from a screenplay by Wilder and Charles Brackett. ...

In an effort to keep the full details of the story from Paramount Studios and avoid the restrictive censorship of the Breen Code they submitted the script on an almost page-by-page basis. The Breen Office insisted certain lines be rewritten, such as Gillis' "I'm up that creek and I need a job," which became "I'm over a barrel. I need a job." Paramount executives thought Wilder was adapting a story called A Can of Beans (which did not exist) and allowed him relative freedom to proceed as he saw fit. Only the first third of the script was written when filming began in early May 1949 and Wilder was unsure how the film would end. ^[5] The Paramount Pictures logo used from 1988 to 1989. ... Censorship is the removal of information from the public, or the prevention of circulation of information, where it is desired or felt best by some controlling group or body, that others are not allowed to access the information which is being censored. ... The Production Code (also known as the Hays Code) was a set of industry guidelines governing the production of American motion pictures. ...

The script contains many references to Hollywood and screenwriters, with Joe Gillis making most of the cynical comments. He sums up his film writing career with the remark, "The last one I wrote was about Okies in the dust bowl. You'd never know because when it reached the screen, the whole thing played on a torpedo boat." In another exchange Betty comments to Gillis, "I'd always heard that you had some talent." He replies, "That was last year. This year I'm trying to make a living." ^[1] Okie is an appellation, dating from as early as 1905, denoting a resident or native of Oklahoma. ... Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas, in 1935. ...

Several of Swanson's lines, such as, "All right Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close-up," and "I am big. It's the pictures that got small!" are widely remembered and quoted. Much of the film's wit is delivered through Norma Desmond's deadpan comments, which are often followed by sarcastic retorts from Gillis. Desmond appears to not hear some of these comments, as she is absorbed by her own thoughts, and so some of Gillis' lines are heard only by the audience, with Wilder blurring the line between the events and Gillis' narration. Gillis' response to Desmond's cry that "the pictures got small" is a muttered reply, "I knew there was something wrong with them." Wilder often varies the structure, with Desmond taking Gillis' comments seriously and replying in kind. An example is when the two discuss the overwrought script Desmond has been working on. "They'll love it in Pomona," observes Gillis. "They'll love it everyplace," replies Desmond firmly. ^[1]

In an essay about the screenplay, film writer Richard Corliss described Sunset Boulevard as "the definitive Hollywood horror movie," noting that almost everything in the script is "ghoulish." He remarked that the story is narrated by a dead man who Norma Desmond first mistakes for an undertaker, while most of the film takes place "in an old, dark house that only opens its doors to the living dead." He compared Von Stroheim's character Max with The Phantom of the Opera, and Norma Desmond with Dracula, noting that as she seduces Joe Gillis the camera tactfully withdraws with "the traditional directorial attitude taken towards Dracula's jugular seductions." He wrote that the narrative contains an excess of "cheap sarcasm" but ultimately congratulated the writers for attributing this dialogue to Joe Gillis, who was in any case presented as little more than a hack writer. ^[6] This article is about the Gaston Leroux novel. ... Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, and the name of its primary character, the vampire Count Dracula. ...

Wilder preferred to leave analysis of his screenplays and films to others. Asked if Sunset Boulevard was a black comedy he replied, "No, just a picture." ^[7] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Key creative personnel

Sunset Boulevard is notable for the atmospheric film noir cinematography of John F. Seitz. In this scene Norma Desmond is dramatically lit by a movie projector.

The film's dark, shadowy black-and-white film noir cinematography was the work of John F. Seitz. Wilder had worked with him several times before, and trusted his judgment, allowing him the freedom to make his own decisions. Seitz recalled asking Wilder what he required for the pet monkey's funeral scene. Wilder replied, "you know, just your standard monkey funeral shot." For some interior shots Seitz sprinkled dust in front of the camera before filming to suggest "mustiness", a trick he had also used during production of Double Indemnity (1944). screenshot of actress Gloria Swanson from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... screenshot of actress Gloria Swanson from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Black-and-white or black and white) can refer to a general term used in photography, film, and other media (see black-and-white). ... John F. Seitz (June 23, 1892 – February 27, 1979) was an American cinematographer. ... Double Indemnity is a 1944 film noir. ...

Wilder was adamant that the corpse of Joe Gillis be seen from the bottom of the pool, but creating the effect was difficult. The camera was placed inside a specially made box and lowered underwater, but the result disappointed Wilder, who insisted on further experiments. The shot was finally achieved by placing a mirror on the bottom of the pool and filming Holden's reflection from above with the distorted image of the policemen standing around the pool and forming a backdrop. ^[5]

Film historian Tom Stempel wrote, "In both Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard, Seitz does something that has always impressed me. Both are films noir, and he finesses the fact that both are set in the sunniest of locales, Los Angeles... he brings together the light and the dark in the same film without any seams showing... he brings together the realistic lighting of Joe Gillis out in the real world with the gothic look of Norma Desmond's mansion. Again with no seams showing." ^[5] This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... See also Gothic art. ...

Edith Head designed the costumes. Wilder, Head and Swanson agreed Norma Desmond would have kept somewhat up to date with fashion trends so Head designed costumes closely resembling the Dior and Chanel look of the mid-1940s. Embellishments were added to personalize them and reflect Norma Desmond's taste. Swanson recalled in her biography that the costumes were only "a trifle outdated, a trifle exotic." ^[3] Head later described her assignment as "the most challenging of my career," and explained her approach with the comment, "Because Norma Desmond was an actress who had become lost in her own imagination, I tried to make her look like she was always impersonating someone." Head later said she relied on Swanson's expertise because "she was creating a past that she knew and I didn't." ^[5] Edith Head on the cover of the book The Life and Times of Edith Head by David Chierichetti Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who had a long career in Hollywood that garnered her more Academy Awards than any other woman in history. ... Christian Dior (January 21, 1905 – October 24, 1957), was an influential French fashion designer. ... Gabrielle Bonheur Coco Chanel (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971)[1] was a pioneering French couturier whose modernist philosophy, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her arguably the most important figure in the history of 20th-century fashion design. ...

Head also designed the costumes for William Holden and the minor characters but for authenticity, Wilder instructed Von Stroheim and Nancy Olson to wear their own clothing.

The musical score was created by Franz Waxman. His theme for Norma Desmond was based on tango music, inspired by her reference to dancing the tango with Rudolph Valentino. This style was contrasted with Joe Gillis' bebop theme. Waxman also used distorted arrangements of popular film music styles from the 1920s and 1930s to suggest Norma Desmond's state of mind. The film's soundtrack was released on compact disc for the first time in 2002. Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906, Königshütte, Upper Silesia (now Chorzów, Poland) - February 24, 1967, Los Angeles, California), born Franz Wachsmann, was a German-born Jewish-American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra and for his musical scores for films. ... Tango music is traditionally played by an orquesta típica, a sextet which includes two violins, piano, doublebass, and two bandoneons. ... Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. ... Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... CD redirects here. ...

The overstated decadence of Norma Desmond's home was created by set designer Hans Dreier, whose career extended back to the silent era. He had also done the interior design for some movie stars' residences, including Mae West's. William Haines, an interior designer and former actor, later defended criticism of Dreier's set design with the observation, "Bebe Daniels, Norma Shearer and Pola Negri all had homes with ugly interiors like that." ^[5] Hans Dreier (August 21, 1885 – October 24, 1966) was a film art director. ... William Haines as he appeared in his first part-talkie Alias Jimmy Valentine in 1928. ... Bebe Daniels in the 1920s Bebe Daniels (14 January 1901 - 15 March 1971) was a United States actress. ... Edith Norma Shearer (August 10, 1902 (some sources indicate 1900) - June 12, 1983) was an Academy Award-winning Canadian-born Hollywood actress. ... Pola Negri Pola Negri [1] (December 31, 1894 - August 1, 1987) was a Polish film actress who achieved notoriety as a femme fatale in silent films between 1910s and 1930s. ...

During filming considerable publicity was given to health-conscious Gloria Swanson's youthful appearance, which did not contrast enough with William Holden's mature looks. Wilder insisted the age difference be delineated and instructed makeup supervisor Wally Westmore to make Swanson look older. Swanson argued that a woman of Norma Desmond's age, with her considerable wealth and devotion to self, would not necessarily look old, and suggested makeup be applied to Holden to make him appear younger. Wilder agreed and Westmore was assigned the task of making Holden appear younger, which allowed Swanson to portray Norma Desmond as a more sophisticated and glamorous figure than Wilder had originally anticipated. ^[5] Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... Walter Wally James Westmore (February 13, 1906 – July 3, 1973) was a make-up artist for Hollywood films. ...

Touches of authenticity

In dissecting Hollywood's "world of illusion" Wilder carefully placed the story within as authentic a setting as possible and made use of Hollywood history. Norma Desmond's name is believed to have been inspired by William Desmond Taylor, who had been murdered in 1922, and his close associate and friend Mabel Normand, whose career was ruined by scandals surrounding the murder. ^[5] William Desmond Taylor William Desmond Taylor (born William Cunningham Deane-Tanner April 26, 1872 in Carlow, Ireland – February 1, 1922 in Los Angeles) was a successful US film director and a popular figure in the growing Hollywood film colony of the 1910s and early 20s. ... Mabel Normand Mabel Normand (November 10, 1892 - February 23, 1930) was a US film actress, who was a popular comedienne in silent films. ...

Swanson was considered a fitting representative of Hollywood's past, remembered nostalgically by older fans but unknown to many younger movie viewers. Her personal collection of photographs decorated the set of Norma Desmond's home, causing Desmond's fictional past to resemble Swanson's authentic career. ^[5]

The script refers to real films such as Gone with the Wind and real people such as Darryl F. Zanuck, D. W. Griffith, Tyrone Power, Alan Ladd, Adolphe Menjou, Rudolph Valentino, Rod La Rocque, Vilma Bánky, John Gilbert, Mabel Normand, Bebe Daniels, Marie Prevost, Betty Hutton and Barbara Stanwyck along with the Black Dahlia murder case. Norma Desmond declares admiration for Greta Garbo. ^[1] Gone with the Wind, arguably one of the most popular films of all time, and the most enduring symbol of the golden age of Hollywood, is a 1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchells 1936 novel of the same name. ... Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902–December 22, 1979) was a producer, writer, actor and director who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors (the length of his career being rivalled only by that of Adolph Zukor). ... D. W. Griffith David Llewelyn Wark Griffith, commonly known as D.W. Griffith (January 22, 1875–July 23, 1948) was an American film director. ... Tyrone Power in Charles Laughtons production of John Browns Body, photo by Carl Van Vechten, March 3, 1953 Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. ... Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – November 7, 1964) was an American film actor. ... Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor of French and Irish descent. ... Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. ... Rod La Rocque Rod La Rocque (November 29, 1896 - October 15, 1969) was an American actor. ... Vilma Bánky on the cover of a 1920s fan magazine Vilma Bánky (January 9, 1898 - March 18, 1991) was a Hungarian-born American silent film actress, although the early part of her acting career began in Budapest, spreading to France, Austria, and Germany. ... John Gilbert John Gilbert (July 10, 1899 - January 9, 1936) was an actor and major star of the silent film era. ... Mabel Normand Mabel Normand (November 10, 1892 - February 23, 1930) was a US film actress, who was a popular comedienne in silent films. ... Bebe Daniels in the 1920s Bebe Daniels (14 January 1901 - 15 March 1971) was a United States actress. ... Marie Prevost (November 8, 1898 - January 23, 1937) was a Canadian-born actress of the early days of cinema. ... Betty Hutton Betty Hutton, (born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 26, 1921 in Battle Creek, Michigan) is a former American actor and singer. ... Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American film/television actress. ... Elizabeth Short (July 29, 1924 – January 15, 1947), was an aspiring actress better known as the Black Dahlia. ... Greta Garbo (September 18, 1905 – April 15, 1990) was a Swedish actress that is, by reputation, one of the greatest and most inscrutable movie stars ever to be produced by MGM and the Hollywood studio system. ...

Wilder extended his Hollywood references into some of his casting choices. Erich von Stroheim was a leading director of the silent era. In the role of Max he watches a film with Norma Desmond and the briefly shown scene is from Queen Kelly (1929), which von Stroheim himself directed with Swanson in the title role. Cecil B. De Mille (often credited as the person most responsible for making Swanson a star) plays himself, and was filmed on the set of his current film Samson and Delilah at Paramount Studios. He calls Norma "young fellow," the nickname he had called Swanson, a tiny detail of authenticity suggested by De Mille. Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... Queen Kelly is the title of an American silent film produced in 1929. ... Samson and Delilah is a 1949 film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as the title characters. ...

Norma's friends who come to play bridge with her, though described only as "The Waxworks", are Swanson's contemporaries Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and H. B. Warner, who, like De Mille, play themselves. (They are credited as doing so in the film's closing credits.) Hedda Hopper also plays herself reporting on Norma Desmond's downfall in the film's final scenes. ^[5] Joseph Frank Keaton Jr. ... Anna Q. Nilsson Anna Quirentia Nilsson (March 30, 1888 – February 11, 1974) was a Swedish actress who achieved success in American silent movies. ... H. B. Warner (26 October 1875, London - 21 December 1958, Woodland Hills, California) was a British actor, born Henry B. Warner. ... Hedda Hopper on the July 28, 1947 cover of Time Magazine Hedda Hopper (May 2, 1885 – February 1, 1966) was an American actress and gossip columnist, whose long-running feud with friend turned arch-rival Louella Parsons became at least as notorious as many of Hoppers columns. ...

In a comic scene Norma Desmond performs a pantomime for Joe Gillis as a Mack Sennett "Bathing Beauty", in homage to Swanson's earliest film roles. She also performs a Charles Chaplin impersonation identical to one she performed in the film Masquerade (1924). The Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover, 1890 Pantomime (informally, panto) refers to a theatrical genre, traditionally found in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland, which is usually performed around the Christmas and New Year holiday season. ... Mack Sennett (1880 - 1960) Mack Sennett (January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was an innovator of slapstick comedy in film. ... For the Jamaican musician named Charlie Chaplin, see Charlie Chaplin (singer). ... Look up Masquerade in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Wilder also made use of authentic locales. Joe Gillis's home in the Alto-Nido apartments was a real apartment block located near Paramount Studios and often populated by struggling writers. The scenes of Gillis and Betty Schaefer on Paramount's backlot were filmed on the actual backlot and the interior of Schwab's Drug Store was carefully recreated for several scenes. The exterior scenes of the Desmond house were filmed near around an old home on Wilshire Blvd. built during the 1920s, which by 1949 was owned by the former wife of J. Paul Getty. The house is also featured in Rebel Without A Cause. It has now been demolished and an office building stands in its location. ^[5] Schwabs drug store, at 8000 Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, was the meeting place of movie actors and dealmakers from the 30s through the 50s. ... As I See It, J. Paul Getty Autobiography Jean Paul Getty (December 15, 1892 – June 6, 1976) was an American industrialist and founder of the Getty Oil Company. ... Natalie Wood and James Dean in a screenshot from Rebel Without a Cause. ...

Reaction to the film

In the final scene Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) says, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up," before appearing to reach into the camera and dissolving into the light.

Wilder and Brackett were nervous about a major screening in Hollywood and decided to have the film preview in Evanston, Illinois. The original edit opened with a scene inside a morgue, with the assembled corpses discussing how they had come to be there. Joe Gillis was one of the corpses and began telling about his murder. The audience reacted with laughter and seemed unsure whether to view the rest of the film as a drama or a comedy. After a similar reaction during its second screening the opening scene was deleted. The new edit was well-received in Poughkeepsie, New York. Download high resolution version (1278x954, 103 KB)screenshot of actress Gloria Swanson from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Download high resolution version (1278x954, 103 KB)screenshot of actress Gloria Swanson from the film Sunset Boulevard (movie) This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Sunset Boulevard (1950 film). ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... Incorporated City in 1872. ... Mortuary, a film directed by Tobe Hooper, see Mortuary (film). ... Poughkeepsie City of Poughkeepsie Town of Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie, Arkansas This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

In Hollywood Paramount arranged a private screening for the various studio heads and specially invited guests. After viewing the film, Barbara Stanwyck bowed to kiss the hem of Gloria Swanson's skirt. Swanson later remembered looking for Mary Pickford only to be told "She can't show herself, Gloria. She's too overcome. We all are." Louis B. Mayer berated Wilder before the crowd of celebrities, saying, "You have disgraced the industry that made and fed you. You should be tarred and feathered and run out of Hollywood." Actress Mae Murray, a contemporary of Swanson's, was offended by the film and commented "None of us floozies was that nuts." ^[5] Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American film/television actress. ... Mary Pickford (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was an Oscar-winning Canadian-born motion picture star and co-founder of United Artists, known as Americas Sweetheart, Little Mary and the girl with the golden curls. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mae Murray Mae Murray (May 10, 1889 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress and dancer, who became known as The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips [1] and The Gardenia of the Screen. ...

Sunset Boulevard attracted a range of positive reviews from critics. TIME magazine described it as a story of "Hollywood at its worst told by Hollywood at its best" ^[8] while Boxoffice Review wrote "the picture will keep spectators spellbound." ^[9] James Agee, writing for Sight and Sound, praised the film and said Wilder and Brackett were "beautifully equipped to do the cold, exact, adroit, sardonic job they have done." Good Housekeeping described Swanson as a "great lady [who] spans another decade with her magic," ^[5] while Look Magazine praised her "brilliant and haunting performance." ^[8] (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... James Rufus Agee (November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, screenwriter, journalist, poet, and film critic. ... Sight and Sound is a British monthly magazine about film. ... A cover of Good Housekeeping from 1908. ... ...

Some critics accurately foresaw the film's lasting appeal. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that future generations would "set themselves the task of analyzing the durability and greatness" of the film while the magazine Commonweal said that in the future "the Library of Congress will be glad to have in its archives a print of Sunset Boulevard." ^[5] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Great Hall interior. ...

The rare negative comments included those from The New Yorker which described the film as "a pretentious slice of Roquefort," containing only "the germ of a good idea." ^[5] Thomas M. Pryor wrote for the New York Times that the plot device of using the dead Joe Gillis as narrator was "completely unworthy of Brackett and Wilder, but happily it does not interfere with the success of Sunset Boulevard." ^[10] The New Yorker is an American magazine that publishes reportage, criticism, essays, cartoons, poetry and fiction. ... Roquefort is a flavorful ewes-milk blue cheese from the south of France, and one of the most famous of all French cheeses. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

After a seven-week run at Radio City Music Hall, Variety magazine reported the film had grossed "around $1,020,000" making it one of Radio City Music Hall's most successful pictures. Variety also noted that while it was "breaking records in major cities, it is doing below average in ... the sticks." To promote the film, Gloria Swanson traveled by train throughout the United States, visiting 33 cities in a few months. The publicity helped attract people to the cinemas but in many provincial areas it was considered less than a hit.^[5] Radio City Music Hall at Christmas 2005 Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Variety is a daily magazine for the entertainment industry. ...

Awards

Sunset Boulevard won Academy Awards in the categories of: The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ...

• Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (Hans Dreier, John Meehan, Sam Comer and Ray Moyer)
• Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Franz Waxman)
• Best Writing, Story and Screenplay (Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder and D.M. Marshman Jr.)

It was also nominated in the categories of: The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. ... Hans Dreier (August 21, 1885 – October 24, 1966) was a film art director. ... A former student of the University of Southern California, art director John Meehan was nominated three times for an Academy Award and won each time. ... From Rule Sixteen of the Special Rules for The Music Awards Original Score: An original score is a substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. ... Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906, Königshütte, Upper Silesia (now Chorzów, Poland) - February 24, 1967, Los Angeles, California), born Franz Wachsmann, was a German-born Jewish-American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra and for his musical scores for films. ... The Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best script not based upon previously published material. ... Charles Brackett (November 26, 1892-March 9, 1969) was an accomplished movie screenwriter and movie producer. ... Billy Wilder (June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American journalist, screenwriter, film director, and producer whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. ... D.M. Marshman Jr is an American film writer. ...

• Best Picture
• Best Director (Billy Wilder)
• Best Actor in a Leading Role (William Holden)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Erich von Stroheim)
• Best Actress in a Leading Role (Gloria Swanson)
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Nancy Olson)
• Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (John F. Seitz)
• Best Film Editing (Arthur P. Schmidt and Doane Harrison) ^[11]

Sunset Boulevard's eleven nominations were exceeded only by the fourteen nominations received by All About Eve which won six awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Many critics predicted that the Best Actress award would be given to Gloria Swanson or Bette Davis for All About Eve and were surprised that the recipient was newcomer Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday. Swanson recalled the press' reaction following Holliday's win, writing "It slowly dawned on me that they were asking for a larger-than-life scene, or better still, a mad scene. More accurately they were trying to flush out Norma Desmond." ^[8] // The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards, awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which are voted on by others within the industry. ... The Academy Award for Directing is an accolade given to the person that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences feels was best director of the past year. ... The Academy Award for Best Actor is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... William Holden (April 17, 1918 – ca. ... The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Erich von Stroheim (September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was a filmmaker and actor, noted for his arrogant Teutonic character parts. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1897 - April 4, 1983), an American Hollywood actress, was prolific during the silent film era, but saw her career go into decline with the advent of talkies. She is now best known for her comeback role in the film (1950), in which -- mirroring her own life... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Nancy Olson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Nancy Olson (born July 14, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actress. ... The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... John F. Seitz (June 23, 1892 – February 27, 1979) was an American cinematographer. ... The Academy Award for Film Editing was first given for films issued in 1934. ... All About Eve is a 1950 movie drama written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, from the story The Wisdom of Eve, by Mary Orr. ... Bette Davis (April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989), born Ruth Elizabeth Davis, was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress of film, television and theater. ... Judy Holliday (June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress. ... For the 1993 remake, see Born Yesterday (1993 film) Born Yesterday is a 1950 film directed by George Cukor, which tells the story of a corrupt tycoon who brings his showgirl mistress with him to Washington when he tries to buy a Congressman. ...

In an interview years later Davis bluntly stated she and Swanson had "cancelled each other out" ^[12], though in 1982 she told Playboy Magazine of her admiration for Swanson's performance, saying, "If she'd won, I'd have shouted hooray. She was sensational, just fantastic". ^[13] Playboy is an adult entertainment magazine, or pornography magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ...

Sunset Boulevard' also received Golden Globe awards for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Motion Picture Actress (Swanson), Best Motion Picture Director and Best Motion Picture Score. Wilder and Brackett won a Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Written American Drama while the Director's Guild of America nominated Wilder for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. The National Board of Review voted it Best Picture and Swanson received Best Actress. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the collective bargaining representative, or labor union, for writers in the motion picture and television industries. ... Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the labor union which represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States motion picture industry. ... The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr. ... The National Board of Review Award for Best Film is one of the awards given to either the director or producer of a film by the American National Board of Review. ...

After Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard was the last collaboration between Wilder and Brackett. Their relationship was reportedly damaged by disputes over filming the montage scenes of Norma preparing her return to the screen. The film marked an approximate midpoint of Wilder's most successful years.

Charles Brackett's Hollywood career continued after his split with Wilder. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay for Titanic (1953), and wrote Niagara (1953), which was the breakthrough film for Marilyn Monroe as a dramatic actress. It was Wilder however, who realized Monroe's comedic abilities in The Seven Year Itch and Some Like it Hot. Brackett's career waned by the end of the decade. Movie poster for Titanic Titanic is 1953 dramatic movie directed by Jean Negulesco. ... Niagara (1953) 1953 Technicolor film noir motion picture directed by Henry Hathaway. ... Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress, singer and model. ... The Seven Year Itch is a three-act play, written by George Axelrod. ... Some Like It Hot is a 1959 comedy film directed by Billy Wilder. ...

William Holden began receiving more important parts and his career rose. In 1953, he won the Best Actor Oscar for Stalag 17 (also directed by Wilder) and by 1956 he was the number one box-office attraction in the United States. Stalag 17 is a 1953 Paramount Pictures film which tells the story of a group of American GIs held in a German World War II prisoner of war camp who come to believe one of their number is a traitor. ...

Nancy Olson's pairing with William Holden was considered a success, and she appeared opposite him in several films during the 1950s. However, none of them repeated their earlier success. Olson went on to star in The Absent-Minded Professor (1960) and Son of Flubber (1961), in which she was paired with Fred MacMurray, but despite the films' popularity with movie-goers, her career stalled. The 1950s was the decade spanning from the 1st of January, 1950 to the 31st of December, 1959. ... The Absent Minded Professor is a 1961 Disney film starring Fred MacMurray as title character Ned Brainard and Nancy Olson as Betsy Carlisle. ... We dont have an article called Son of Flubber Start this article Search for Son of Flubber in. ... Fred MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was a Hollywood actor who appeared in over one hundred movies, during a career that lasted from the 1930s to the 1970s. ...

Similarly, Gloria Swanson was not able to leverage her own success in Sunset Boulevard. Although offered scripts, she felt that they all were poor imitations of Norma Desmond. Imagining a career that would eventually reduce her to playing "a parody of a parody," she virtually retired from films. ^[2]

In 1957 Swanson initiated discussions with Paramount Studios to adapt Sunset Boulevard into a musical called Boulevard! In her version the romance between Gillis and Shaefer was allowed to blossom and rather than shoot Gillis at the end, Norma gave the couple her blessing, sending them on their way to live "happily ever after." Swanson employed Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley to compose the score, which was completed and recorded, later appearing on LP; Miss Swanson performed a fully-orchestrated selection on The Steve Allen Show. Paramount Studios, which owned the copyright, encouraged Swanson to continue but withdrew its consent in 1959, saying it would not permit an interpretation that would damage the existing and future reputation of the film. It allowed television productions for Lux Video Theatre with Miriam Hopkins, and Robert Montgomery Presents with Mary Astor and Darren McGavin, because the storyline remained faithful to the original script. ^[5] The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (1967) as a 33 ⅓ LP vinyl record A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove starting near the periphery and ending near the center of the disc. ... Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American musician, comedian and writer instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. ... Lux Video Theatre was a weekly television series, produced from 1950 until 1959. ... Ellen Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an American actress. ... Robert Montgomery Presents was a dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950 until June 24, 1957. ... Mary Astor (May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... McGavin as Kolchak in The Night Stalker (1972) William Lyle Richardson (May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006), who adopted the name Darren McGavin, was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and also his portrayal in the movie...

Sunset Boulevard was shown in New York City in 1960 and drew such a positive response that Paramount arranged for a limited rerelease in theaters throughout the United States. It is arguably best known to modern audiences as a result of its television screenings since the 1960s. ^[2] Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ...

The film's current stature

In 1989 the film was among the first group of 25 deemed "culturally significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. ^[14] The Great Hall interior. ... The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ...

Polls conducted by the American Film Institute have demonstrated the lasting appeal of Sunset Boulevard and the esteem in which it is held by the modern filmmakers who respond to these polls. In 1998 it was ranked number twelve on a list of "100 Greatest Films". ^[15] In 2004 two quotes from Sunset Boulevard were included in their poll of "Greatest Movie Quotes": All right, Mr. De Mille. I'm ready for my close-up (#7) and I am big. It's the pictures that got small (#24). ^[16] In 2005, Franz Waxman's score was named #16 of the top 25 film scores in the AFI's "100 Years of FIlm Scores list. ^[17] The American Film Institute (AFI) is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act. ... The American Film Institute, celebrating the 100th anniversary of film, created several top 100 lists covering movies in American cinema. ... The American Film Institute, celebrating the 100th anniversary of film, created several top 100 lists covering movies in American cinema. ...

Roger Ebert has praised the acting of Holden and von Stroheim and has described Swanson's as "one of the all time greatest performances." He says Sunset Boulevard "remains the best drama ever made about the movies because it sees through the illusions." ^[18] Pauline Kael described the film as "almost too clever, but at its best in its cleverness," ^[19] and also wrote it was common to "hear Billy Wilder called the world's greatest director." ^[20] When Wilder died, many obituaries singled out Sunset Boulevard for comment, describing it as one of his most significant works along with Double Indemnity (1944) and Some Like it Hot (1959). ^[21] Russ Meyer (left) and Roger Ebert, (1970) Roger Joseph Ebert (June 18, 1942 - ) is an Emmy Award-nominated American television personality, author, and film critic who began writing for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1967. ... Pauline Kael (June 19, 1919 – September 3, 2001) was an American film critic who wrote for The New Yorker magazine. ... Obituary for World War I death An obituary is a notice of the death of a person, usually published in a newspaper, written or commissioned by the newspaper, and usually including a short biography. ...

By the late 1990s, most Sunset Boulevard prints were in poor condition, and since the film was one of the last to be filmed on cellulose nitrate filmstock, much of the original negative had perished. Paramount Studios, believing the film merited the effort of a complete restoration, mounted an expensive project to have the film digitally restored. The restored version was released on DVD in 2002. ^[22] A 2003 BBC review of the restored film described it as "the finest movie ever made about the narcissistic hellhole that is Hollywood." ^[23] Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose (also: cellulose nitrate, flash paper) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through, for example, exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. ... Film stock is the term for photographic film on which films are recorded. ... Digital video is a type of video recording system that works by using a digital, rather than analog, representation of the video signal. ... DVD (commonly Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is one of the largest broadcasting corporations in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of more than £4 billion. ...

Other films about Hollywood

While Hollywood had been making films about itself since the 1920s many of them, such as It's a Great Feeling (1949), were good-natured and fun. Others, such as What Price Hollywood? (1932) and A Star Is Born (1937), hinted at the darker side of Hollywood without explicitly showing it. Sunset Boulevard is considered to be the first to employ such extreme cynicism. It was soon followed by The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Singin' in the Rain (1952) and the musical remake of A Star Is Born (1954). Though none of them was as harshly self-critical, they each depicted the ease and cruelty with which Hollywood could discard a movie star past his or her prime. Its a Great Feeling is a 1947 comedy film made by Warner Brothers Studios. ... What Price Hollywood? is a 1932 RKO film drama starring Constance Bennett and Lowell Sherman. ... DVD cover showing stars Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. ... The Bad and the Beautiful is a 1953 melodramatic film which tells the story of a film producer who alienates all of those around him. ... Singin in the Rain is a 1952 musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald OConnor, and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also handling the choreography. ... A Star Is Born is a 1954 musical remake of the original 1937 film, directed by George Cukor and starring Judy Garland and James Mason. ...

Sunset Boulevard was followed by other films which varied the story of an older actress desperately clinging to her past glory, such as Bette Davis in The Star (1952) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Joan Crawford in Torch Song (1953), Geraldine Page in Sweet Bird of Youth (1962), Susan Hayward in Valley of the Dolls (1967) and Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest (1981). The scenario of an older woman with a gigolo was also used as a storyline without the Hollywood setting in such films as The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) which starred Vivien Leigh and Warren Beatty, while Katharine Hepburn's descent into madness in Suddenly Last Summer (1959) has been compared to Norma Desmond's final scene. The Day of the Locust (1975) and The Last Tycoon (1976) depict Hollywood in bitter terms and, like Sunset Boulevard, make use of real backstage settings. Bette Davis (April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989), born Ruth Elizabeth Davis, was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress of film, television and theater. ... The Star is a 1952 film which tells the story of a washed up actress who tries anything to restart her career, even at the risk of alienating her husband and daughter. ... What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 Warner Bros. ... Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905 – May 10, 1977) was an acclaimed, iconic, Academy Award winning American actress. ... Torch Song is a 1953 film starring Joan Crawford, Michael Wilding, Gig Young, and Marjorie Rambeau. ... Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924 - June 13, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Susan Hayward (June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Valley of the Dolls is the title of a best selling novel by Jacqueline Susann, published in 1966, and the Hollywood film which followed it in 1967. ... Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941, in Bascom, Florida) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Mommie Dearest Mommie Dearest is a 1981 Paramount drama motion picture starring Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford and Diana Scarwid as Christina Crawford, with Mara Hobel playing Christina as a child, Xander Berkeley playing Christopher Crawford as an adult, and Jeremy Scott Reinbolt playing Christopher as a child. ... The Roman Spring of Mrs. ... Vivien Mary Leigh, Lady Olivier (November 5, 1913 – July 8, 1967), , was an English actress. ... Henry Warren Beaty (born March 30, 1937), better known as Warren Beatty, is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning American actor, producer, screenwriter, and director. ... Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an iconic four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, widely recognized for her sharp wit, New England gentility and fierce independence. ... Suddenly, Last Summer is a play by Tennessee Williams. ... The Day of the Locust is a 1975 film based on the 1939 novel by American author Nathanael West, set in Hollywood, California during the Great Depression, depicting the alienation and desperation of a disparate group of individuals whose dreams of success have effectively failed. ... Categories: Literature stubs | 1941 books | 1994 books | Novels ...

Among the more recent films to discuss Sunset Boulevard in their screenplays or imitate its scenes or dialogue are Soapdish (1991), The Player (1992), Gods and Monsters (1998), Mulholland Drive (2001) ^[5] and Be Cool (2005). The ending of Cecil B. Demented (2000) is a parody of Sunset Boulevard's famous final scene. Soapdish is a 1991 comedy film which tells a backstage story of the cast and crew of a popular television soap opera. ... The Player (1992) is a movie that tells the story of Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins), a Hollywood studio executive who believes he is being blackmailed by a screenwriter whose script he once rejected. ... Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) and James Whale (Ian McKellen). ... Mulholland Drive (often abbreviated Mulholland Dr.) is a 2001 psychological thriller written and directed by David Lynch. ... Be Cool is a 2005 movie which was adapted from a 1999 novel. ... Cecil B. Demented is a 2000 cult film directed by John Waters. ...

On television, the film inspired an episode of The Twilight Zone, "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine", in which an aging movie queen relives her past glory through watching her movies and at the same time isolating herself from the real world. The Twilight Zones original opening The Twilight Zone was a television anthology series created (and often written) by its narrator and host Rod Serling. ... Ida Lupino in The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine “The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine” is an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone. ...

The musical version

A musical version (also titled Sunset Boulevard) with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton opened in London, England in 1993. The film had been originally meant to be adapted by Stephen Sondheim but he gave it up after meeting Billy Wilder who proposed he write an opera instead of a musical. Then, John Kander and Fred Ebb were asked to do so. Finally Andrew Lloyd Webber took the opportunity to create a musical based on the film. Sunset Boulevard is a musical play based on the movie of the same title. ... January 18, 1988 issue of Time Magazine featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is a highly successful English composer of musical theatre and the elder brother of Julian Lloyd Webber. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Christopher Hampton (born January 26, 1946 to British parents in Fayal, Azores) is a British playwright, screen writer and film director. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Stephen Joshua Sondheim (b. ... Image:JohnKander. ... Fred Ebb (April 8, 1933 - September 11, 2004) was a musical theatre lyricist. ...

The production closely followed the film story, retained much of the dialogue and attempted to present similar set designs. Billy Wilder commented, "I congratulate [the writers] on something very ingenious — they left the story alone. A woman comes forward and says, 'I am big, it's the pictures that got small.' I was very much astonished when I heard the words, many of them retained and some of them to music. I'm not an expert on music but it sounded good to me." The show opened on Broadway the following year. Among the actresses to play Norma Desmond were Patti Lupone, Elaine Paige, Betty Buckley and Petula Clark in London along with Glenn Close in Los Angeles and Betty Buckley in New York.^[2] Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Patti LuPone in her Tony Award winning role as Eva Perón in the Broadway musical Evita. ... On the cover of Elaine Paige Tour Programme 2004 Elaine Paige OBE (born Elaine Bickerstaff on 5 March 1948 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is a world-renowned English singer and actor, primarily in musicals. ... Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American theater, film, and television actress. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is a five time Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actress. ...

In July 2005 Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group announced that a film version of the musical, starring Glenn Close, was to be produced in association with Paramount and the Relevant Picture Company.^[24] The planned release date was originally 2006, but the project has been delayed until 2008 (see Sunset Boulevard (2008 film)). The Really Useful Group (RUG) is a international company set up in 1977 by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. ... Sunset Boulevard is an upcoming 2008 film by Paramount Pictures and the Relevant Picture Company that has been announced. ...

The name of the film

Nearly all references give the name of the film as Sunset Boulevard. However, the opening sequence does not give a title. Instead, it has a shot of the road and zooms in on a street sign that says Sunset Blvd. Thus some authorities such as Leonard Maltin's Film Guide and the IMDb argue that it is the latter that is the true name of the film. However, "Sunset Boulevard" is the name given in the original theatrical trailer but the registration with the Library of Congress shows 'Sunset Blvd'. Leonard Maltin (born December 18, 1950 in New York City) is a widely known and respected American film critic. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) [1] is an online database of information about actors, movies, television shows, television stars and video games. ... Theatrical trailers are 2-3 minute advertisements for movies that play in cinemas before another movie. ...

References

July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Sunset Boulevard (1950 film)

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Sunset Blvd. (1950 film)

• Sunset Boulevard at the Internet Movie Database
• Sunset Boulevard at the TCM Movie Database
• review of Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard
• Movie Review Query Engine - Links to period and contemporary reviews for Sunset Boulevard
• Sunset Boulevard movie website
• Senses of Cinema - Billy Wilder biography
• Gloria Swanson tribute site
• Reel Classics - William Holden biography
• Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) National Film Registry Site
• Is the film a film noir?

Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. ...