A Hollywood Story: Sensational...Daring...Unforgettable...Sunset Blvd
A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.
Dramanew year's evejealousyloss of sense of realityscreenwriterbutlerdelusiondivafilm noirhollywoodlos angeles, californiablack and whitemadness
- Bleak ending
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Where do you stand?
Three questions people argue about. Answer first, then see how your circle and the community split.
Is this Billy Wilder's best work?
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Is it the best drama film of its decade?
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Would Sunset Boulevard hit harder if it came out today rather than in 1950?
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Ask the title a question
Answered from the reviews and content notes on file, never made up. If nothing on file settles it, it says so.
Character
Nostalgic, meticulous, bleak and intimate.
- contemporarynostalgic
- rawmeticulous
- warmbleak
- intimateepic
- cooloverwhelming
Who loves it, who doesn't
40 profiled raters. Loved most by The Provocateurs; disliked most by The Formalists.
Reviews
We read them all: the case for is nadia_noir's, funniest is hollis's. Marked below.
- hollisFunniestThe Empath★★★★★
Gloria Swanson is not overacting; the character is. The film knows exactly where the line is.(1 spoiler sentence hidden; tap to read)
- nadia_noirThe case forThe Provocateur★★★★★
Wilder's cruelty is exact, and Swanson gives the performance of a person who never got to stop performing. Every noir since is a footnote.(1 spoiler sentence hidden; tap to read)
Cast
- William HoldenJoe Gillis
- Gloria SwansonNorma Desmond
- Erich von StroheimMax von Mayerling
- Nancy OlsonBetty Schaefer
- Fred ClarkSheldrake
- Lloyd GoughMorino
- Jack WebbArtie Green
- Franklyn FarnumUndertaker
- Larry J. BlakeFinance Man #1
- Charles DaytonFinance Man #2
Crew
- Billy WilderDirector
- Charles BrackettScreenplay
- Billy WilderScreenplay
- D.M. Marshman Jr.Screenplay
- John F. SeitzDirector of Photography
- Franz WaxmanOriginal Music Composer
- Arthur P. SchmidtEditor
- Charles BrackettProducer
Where to watch
| Stream | |
|---|---|
| Free | |
| Rent | |
| Buy |
US availability, powered by JustWatch via TMDB. Other regions
Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
American Psycho 200059% alikeBoth bleak, meticulous.
Unforgiven 199259% alikeBoth meticulous; this one is more classical in form.
The Virgin Suicides 200059% alikeBoth bleak.
All About Eve 195058% alikeBoth meticulous.
The Hateful Eight 201557% alikeBoth nostalgic, intimate, bleak.
Boogie Nights 199757% alikeBoth nostalgic.
The Great Gatsby 201357% alikeBoth nostalgic.
Both meticulous.
Omori 202053% alikeGame · Close across the board; this one is more earnest.
Mad Men 200753% alikeSeries · Both meticulous; this one is more earnest.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.
