The Expectation:
I knew this was one of those films that is a real classic in the world of Hollywood cinema. I knew that Billy Wilder- one of the great writers/directors of his generation- was instrumental in self-reflective stories- often scathingly. Add William Holden and Gloria Swanson, and the fact that it is billed as a film noir, and I expected only the greatest from this classic film.
The Result:
Billy Wilder is a genius at attacking the subtle hierarchies that are built into our society. He did it with Sabrina and class hierarchies and with Double Indemnity and gender stereotypes. And he does it superbly with Sunset Boulevard- one of his most personal films- as it attacks the pressures inherent in the star system of the Hollywood system itself. Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond, an aging actress- past her silent film era fame- and desperately living only to reach that fame again through her re-entry into the 'pictures'. She hires (or coerces) a B movie writer, Will Holden as Joe Gillis, to edit down her masterpiece- the film she wrote for herself to star in. They whole themselves up in her studio era mansion with all its finery and their relationship evolves. Gillis is essentially a gigolo- but his real- almost maternal- affection for Desmond makes him a likeable and pitiable character. With the addition of great silent film era stars who play themselves, the film silently chastises the film industry's economic bottom line where production disregards the human condition. In the same way, we are all scolded, as viewers, for living in our disgusting culture of fame, where worth is measured in hysteria and worship, where stars are valued for their ability to feed our voyeuristic desires. The film makes it clear that this kind of system is completely unsustainable for the human individual- who is worshiped, eventually discarded, and made mentally unstable through this manipulative squander. Wilder is also a fantastic writer, while knowledgeable about film pace and creative camera placement. Overall, this is one of the best films I have ever seen. What does it say about our film system-and our society-that Wilder's creation still rings true in its shockingly brilliant look and critical messages.
What to look for:
Opening shots to sequences- the camera is placed intentionally to create great art shots.
Film noir aspects of narration, extreme angle shots, vertical lines, etc.
Gloria Swanson at her finest- the last sequence is desperately creepy.
The sets-especially that Baroque Mansion!
If you have the time and inclination- check out the Making of Special Feature- you won't be sorry!
Flickr photo by Claudio.Ar
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