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Aging Noir

Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim and Nancy Olson star in Sunset Boulevard. Cecil B. DeMille plays himself. Hedda Hopper does the same. The movie concerns "Norma Desmond". Norma is a very rich, aging, Hollywood star from way back in the silent era. In the male lead, we have "Joe Gillis". Joe is a failing Hollywood writer from around the time the film was made. He's played by William Holden. Gloria plays the aging star. Erich plays Gloria's butler and Nancy plays a script reader that works at Paramount.

The film begins with a couple of repo guys visiting Joe's apartment where he owes three months back rent and he's behind on just about everything else. The repo guys give Joe until the next day to come up with he money he owes on his car or they're going to tow it away. Joe needs his car so, after the repo guys leave, he sets off to scrape up the cash that he owes. A bit later, the repo guys catch William driving around in his car and give chase. While William is evading the repo folk he has a flat tire and turns in to the driveway of an old, seemingly deserted, mansion. He parks his car in the garage and, as he's making his way away from the mansion, Erich spots him and calls him in. Erich has mistaken William for the guy that's delivering the coffin for Norma's recently deceased, pet monkey. In the ensuing confusion, as William is making excuses and trying to leave, it comes to light that he's a screen writer. This discovery prompts Norma to mention that she has a script that she wants him to look at. 

Joe needs a job. Norma wants to hire him to clean up her script. Joe moves into the empty room above the garage and suddenly finds that his former "needs" are no longer "needs" at all. Everything is taken care of for him. Unfortunately, Norma has more in mind than simple script writing and falls for Joe who, reluctantly at first, accepts his role as lover.

Norma, who's pretty weird and pretty obsessive and still really upset over what Hollywood society has done to her career, wants to stage a "return". Joe is pretty willing to help with this since his needs are so nicely taken care of. We follow their "romance" for a while, finish the script and visit Paramount studios where Norma is warmly received. Unfortunately, a bunch of gossip columnists have worked long and hard to make sure that Norma isn't going to make another movie. No one is willing to tell Norma this, so everyone around her "protects" her from the truth. Nancy, who was actually introduced at the beginning of the film, begins to figure in as an "alternate" love interest after Joe runs into her at a party and again a bit later at the Paramount studios. Nancy and Joe begin writing their own script. Norma plays out her obsessions and Joe plays out. You'll find out much about the other characters as well.

Hollywood has made an occasional "perfect" film. This is one of them. That it's been "lampooned" by nearly every comedy show on television sort of bears that out. Sunset Boulevard won Franz Waxman the academy award for scoring of a musical picture in 1950.

Apparently there's some sort of re-make sacrilege about to be committed. {Some ideas are just so vile as to be incomprehensible. Hopefully, it will succeed as well as the "Psycho" cover. I know, I know... the power of cash compels you.}