The Greatest Star of Them All | SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) | Movie Reaction

First time watching and reacting to SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) movie.
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Intro 0:00
React 0:27
Thoughts 27:30
#moviereaction #moviereactions #moviereview #moviereviews #firsttimewatching #sunsetboulevard #billywilder

[@henryellow]

The fact is, Norma Desmond is a very toxic person. Perhaps a traumatic experience (which made her fall from grace) changed her. Perhaps she was once a kind, humble girl. We'll never know. From what we can see in the movie, Norma is a narcissistic person in denial. All she really cares about is herself. And she believes everyone should care about her too. Because she's the greatest star of them all. She's the centre of the world. She's manipulative. She threatens Joe with suicide when she realizes he might leave her. She groomed Joe to her liking, taught him things and bought him things. Because of that, she feels that she has the right to have him. She feels that, by spending money on Joe, he has become hers. He SHOULD love her for it. Norma is domineering, but she also has a fragile ego. She's insecure. Jealous. She couldn't bear it when Joe was away from her. Joe must be close by, always. Otherwise, she gets nervous or anxious. Joe tried to pop Norma's bubble of denial. He wants her to face reality, to face the truth. But Norma's denial is so strong that she would murder Joe and then sink into her own delusional world. Imagine if the roles were reversed. Joe Gillis is a rich, melancholic, narcissistic man. Norma Desmond is a writer who's down on her luck and happens to drive into Joe's mansion. The rest of the events that follow would be viewed very differently by the audience.

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

I think that you had the most honest reaction to this film that I have seen. The shock and disbelief on your face was priceless!!

[@PolferiferusII]

Everyone in this movie is mixed. No fully good "Heroes" with a capital H. No fully "evil" villains. If I care about at least one of the major character's fortunes, that's the first necessary ingredient, for me, to enjoy a movie. I don't have to like them, just feel invested in what happens to them. So it was with this one, for the most part. With these characters, no one is all that likeable (just my opinion), but I relate to their imperfection. We imagine what it would be like for us if we were one of them, in these situations. We'd probably make mistakes, too. And we'd regret them, and then try to figure a way out, in reaction. This film isn't a personal favorite, but it's interesting and thought provoking. Also, reading a bunch of the comments and threads below, there's a lot of interesting backstory and intention in the making of it that I wasn't aware of, making it even more intriguing. Loved your reaction, Henry, and especially hearing your thoughts afterwards. I appreciate that you seem to try to learn something from each film, a feature other reactors mostly aren't doing. Even when there's no great takeaway to be had in some instances, the exercise is still worth doing.

[@meganlutz7150]

I agree Norma is a textbook narcissist

[@donkfail1]

"How are you narrating this from beyond the grave?" Never thought of it as a supernatural movie before, but you're right pointing it out. It's a ghost story. :D

[@jkirtleyheacting]

Superb choice. Great reaction x

[@ink-cow]

Breathtaking story. Props to the older actors who got it. Mae West was offered the role of Norma Desmond first, but felt she was too young to play the role, which is a very Norma Desmond attitude to take. I'm always amused by seeing grumpy Buster Keaton in the card game. William Holden starred in a completely different Billy Wilder film called Stalag 17, about prisoners of war in WWII.

[@HuntingViolets]

Also in Wilder's romantic comedy, _Sabrina._

[@jaysverrisson1536]

Ironically, Mae West was actually 5 or 6 years older than Gloria Swanson. I remember reading that Sunset Boulevard was also pitched to Mary Pickford, the one female silent star who, in her heyday, was as big or bigger than Gloria Swanson. Apparently, however, her visible dismay during the readout made it clear that was going to be a no go!

[@Hayseo]

Gloria Swanson “Norma“ was an actual silent movie star. That’s one reason why she was so good at those exaggerated facial expressions.

[@Cbcw76]

In the BEVERLY HILLBILLIES's 5th season, they base an episode on The Gloria Swanson Story where she remains one of Bugtussle's biggest screen stars (from the silent films, still shown in Bugtussle!). She is putting up a lot of old costumes and furniture for a big Hollywood gala charity auction, and the Hillbillies think she's forced to sell these. At this time in that series, the jokes were getting old and stale but, for this one episode, the hilarity of misunderstanding was re-captured in another time-warp setting.

[@todddepue681]

All those questions you asked at the end about Joe...was he this? Was he that? Yes! He was all those things. So many great quotable lines in this movie. Norma is an intriguing character even today. And ironically, this marked a comeback for the actress Gloria Swanson, who, like Norma, was one of the biggest stars of the silent movie era.

[@darrenhoskins8382]

Completely brilliant movie!!!

[@vincentsaia6545]

Norma was played by Gloria Swanson who really was a silent movie star (the films of her shown in the movie were genuine) and Max was played by Eric von Stroheim who really was a famous silent movie director. His career was sidelined when he made an eight-hour movie, GREED.

[@johnnehrich9601]

Yes, and DeMille was a famous director. And the three people who came to play cards were all former great actors, including Buster Keaton (watch his incredible - and super-dangerous - comedic stunts in Steamboat Bill, Jr. - where the side of an actual house falls around but not on him - and The General.) The movie Singin' In The Rain, despite being a musical comedy, gives a look at the difficult transition in Hollywood from silent movies to talkies. (Also considered by many to be the best musical comedy.)

[@henryellow]

Thanks for the fun facts 😊 Yup, I've got those 3 movies on my list 👍🏻

[@jenfries6417]

Strange to think that, nowadays, a studio will take an 8-hour movie and just brutally chop it into three parts and release it as three movies (ahemLotRcough), and I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It gets the project finished and released, but what does it do to the creative concept?

[@vincentsaia6545]

@@jenfries6417 Studio head Irving Thalberg cut the movie down to about 2 1/2 hours. I don't think an 8 hour print has ever been found,

[@flarrfan]

Still missing an iconic Billy Wilder film, the best picture winner in 1960...The Apartment

[@henryellow]

I'll watch it eventually 😉

[@robertjewell9727]

That feeling of shock in a sense is quite deliberate on Billy Wilder's part. My friend Joseph McBride wrote a great biography about him called Dancing on the Edge and Wilder was quite aware of how many silent film stars were pushed to the side and how Hollywood was a kind of neat grinder of status and economic need through changing years and how a screenwriter who is a ghost must tell the tale of that conflict between what was and what is in 1950's Hollywood with such a sardonic sensibility..

[@petew.7870]

ICONIC. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@willmacintyre649]

Thanks for the insightful reaction to a wonderful picture.

[@altaclipper]

I love this movie so much. Gloria Swanson was superb and gutsy and Norma Desmond is my favorite fictional character.

[@melenatorr]

Yes, that's "Auld Lang Syne" which is traditionally sung on New Year's Eve. The title is Scottish: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne

[@johnnehrich9601]

Billy Wilder, like Alfred Hitchcock, had a long history of fabulous movies, although Wilder's stuff varied much more in genre. My two favorites of his (beside Sunset) is his 1957 courtroom drama, Witness for the Prosecution - I defy you to guess the ending of this work from the genius of mystery queen Agatha Christie. And the c. 1961 One, Two, Three, one of the fastest-paced comedy you will ever see.

[@henryellow]

I've got those two on my list 😉 It's a matter of time before I watch it.

[@user-kq5ke5yb6k]

Such a great movie. Several people are playing themselves -- e.g., DeMille, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Terrific role for Gloria Swanson. William Holden was a HUGE star across many genres for years, until alcoholism diminished his looks & the quality of his movies.

[@bluefriend62]

Great reaction, as always, Henry! Sunset Boulevard is really a top-tier classic film and a favorite of mine. One of the most interesting aspects of it is that it is very meta--It's Hollywood critiquing itself and the fleeting nature of fame and celebrity. In a way, it's kind of amazing that it even got made. By 1950, many of the very biggest stars of early Hollywood were becoming largely forgotten--especially those who didn't make the transition from silent films to talkies. These people were the very first "movie stars" and for most of them their fame had faded. Gloria Swanson, who played Norma, was one of those. She was an enormous star of silent films, and this film was a big comeback...erm.... sorry...."return!" for her. All of the photos of "Norma" in the house were actually photos of Gloria, and the film she and Joe watches is one of Gloria's most famous. Norma's three old card buddies were played by other early movie stars, too, the most famous being Buster Keaton. Cecil B. DeMille, one of the biggest directors of all time, miraculously plays himself, and the actor playing Max, Erich von Stroheim, was a big early director too. So much interesting Hollywood trivia about this film--it's fascinating to me.

[@henryellow]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

[@melenatorr]

The bridge players are true silent era legends: Anna Nilsson: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Q._Nilsson HB Warner, who was Mr. Gower in "It's A Wonderful Life": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._B._Warner. Buster Keaton, the one and only; up there with Charlie Chaplin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4iom6uhoKdrjtU

[@henryellow]

I think it's stated "As Themselves" when they were shown at the end credits.

[@kevind4850]

Good analysis of this certified classic. No one here has pure motives, which is real life, and all the main characters are victims in one way or another. Its depiction of the Hollywood culture that elevates stars, then dumps them with no regrets absolutely enraged many in the industry. Billy Wilder only got the film produced by disguising the plot and only submitting pieces to the people doing the oversight. 1950 was a great year for extraordinary film scripts - including _All_ _About_ _Eve_ (about the New York stage, which took Best Picture), _Born_ _Yesterday_ (comedy, also featuring William Holden), _Asphalt_ _Jungle_ (film noir), and _Last_ _Holiday_ (dark comedy). Another, and more cheerful, movie about the transition from silent to sound films was made a couple of years later - _Singin'_ _in_ _the_ _Rain_ (1952) - which was a big break for Debbie Reynolds (the mother of Carrie Fisher, "Princess Leia"). It is also worth a look if you haven't seen it.

[@henryellow]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊 Some of the movies you suggested are on my list. I'll add the rest! 👍🏻

[@Cbcw76]

Billy Wilder is worth a career in study and research. After looking over your reactions-list, I see you've got many of those favorites.

[@Cbcw76]

This is worth many rewatchings, and you snagged the concept of Max, the great contributor. I suspect Max had nothing of his own - his departure would end her life AND his so - ??

[@Cbcw76]

Also, Nancy Olson (Betty)... she and William Holden star in the follow-up film, a noir kidnapper thriller UNION STATION with one of most vicious villains. And in the world of Good vs Evil films, the greater the evil villain, the better the film.

[@henryellow]

Is that so? I suppose I'll add Union Station to my list too 😊

[@Cbcw76]

@@henryellow UNION STATION has Lyle Bettger as one of the most vicious killers this side of Lee Marvin. Lyle wasn't (and would not be) a big name probably because he was pigeon-holed in westerns, which faded away in the 1960s. But to me, he is one the most hateable villians just for this one film's character.

[@KrazyKat007]

The term “midnight movie” came about in 1970 It applies to films more of the cult classic variety that are literally screened at midnight in arthouse cinemas. A famous example of a midnight movie is something like “Rocky Horror Picture Show” The first actual midnight movie ever that became a notorious cult classic “El Topo” (1970) Definitely recommend for you to check out some time. The film is from Mexico and is in Spanish, subtitled.

[@henryellow]

I'll add it to my list. Thanks for suggesting! 😊

[@gylmano]

The Hays Code may have allowed a Salome movie, as the story is based on the Bible, which contains many gory parts. The story Norma adapted was a play and opera by Oscar Wilde in 1893, which had Salome fall in love with John the Baptist, and was therefore a big scandal; there were opera singers who refused to play such a wicked part, kiss John’s severed head, or make the Dance of the Seven Veils. In Norma’s defense, in all of the production history of the opera there never has been a Salome as required by the libretto, a seventeen years old first class soprano who is also a top notch ballet dancer and may dance naked on the scene, many old ladies like Montserrat Caballe have played her.

[@henryellow]

Oh, I was not aware that Salome was a reference to a play. Well, now I know. Thanks for sharing! 😊

[@BlueShadow777]

Explaining the narration of a character describing their own death at the beginning of a movie like "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) involves understanding the narrative technique known as "retrospective narration" or "flashback narration." 1. Temporal Perspective: In retrospective narration, the character is recounting events from their past, often from a point beyond the events being depicted. This means that while the character may be narrating from a point after their death, they are reflecting on events that occurred during their lifetime. 2. Dramatic Irony: The use of retrospective narration can create dramatic irony, where the audience knows information that the character does not. In "Sunset Boulevard," the audience learns of Joe Gillis's death at the beginning of the film through his narration, but the character himself is unaware of his fate at that point in the story. 3. Narrative Framing: The narration serves as a framing device for the story, setting the tone and providing context for the events that unfold. By starting with the character's death and then flashing back to the events leading up to it, the film establishes a sense of intrigue and suspense. 4. Engagement with the Audience: Retrospective narration can also engage the audience by inviting them into the character's perspective and drawing them into the story. Despite knowing the character's eventual fate, the audience is compelled to follow along and discover how the events unfold. Explaining these narrative techniques can help someone understand how a character can narrate their own death at the beginning of a movie, even though they are already deceased within the story's timeline.

[@henryellow]

I know that anything's possible in a movie. I was just shocked at that point. I didn't know the person in the pool (at the beginning of the movie) was Gillis. Thanks for explaining the narrative techniques 😊

[@jtt6650]

Norma is a horrible, self-absorbed, delusional character, but she’s extremely entertaining, the iconic cray cray femme fatale. Joe is what they called a gigolo back then. He’s disgusted with himself for doing it, but does it anyway. I don’t think he was trying to get Betty to love him, but it just happened. He knew it was wrong and felt guilty about hurting his friend Artie. Oddly, it didn’t seem to bother Betty that much; she shifted gears rather quickly. That’s why Joe was cold and cut off the relationship with Betty in no uncertain terms. He was being noble I think. If he hadn’t she would’ve continued to think there was a chance and hung around, maybe getting shot by Norma as well!

[@henryellow]

I agree with you about Norma. One of Joe's monologues hinted that he might have had the intention of making Betty love him. That's why I was surprised when he pushed Betty away AND chose to leave Norma. Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

[@jenfries6417]

Joe Gillis is an iconic film-noir male lead character - conflicted, layered, cynical and broken but still romantic and moral underneath his grimy, questionable exterior. The romance with Betty was unintentional. It grew organically out of the time they spent working together. They were on the same creative wavelength. She fell in love with him because he was good-looking and smart and funny and talented and mature. He fell in love with her because she was fresh and young and idealistic, as well as smart and talented, and she reminded him of his early dreams, the career he had wanted to build for himself, back when he didn't think of himself as a failure. But ultimately, it was just a crush for Betty, and for Joe - well, who knows? It is a classic film-noir trope for the doomed hero to sacrifice himself to keep his love interest from going to hell with him. Joe was mature and self-aware enough to know he was the wrong guy for Betty. That's why he did that insulting little performance to get her leave him and go back to Artie. The fact that Joe had decided to leave Norma didn't change the fact that Betty's true love was Artie and she belonged with him in Arizona. Joe also really cared for Norma, but not in a romantic love way. He hooked up with her originally for money and feeling kind of trapped into it, but he came to care for her out of compassion for her mental health. Still, she was so toxic, he finally had to decide to leave. He didn't want to end up like Max - or that chimpanzee - just another dead pet. Film-noir is one of my favorite movie genres for two reasons. First, the style of it is pure gold. The lighting, the camera work, the music, the dialogue - it's all so wonderful, so gorgeous - sharp like knives and sweet like bourbon. Second, despite its focus on violence and crime, film-noir is one of the most romantic of all modern genres, and it has some of the most complex explorations of emotions and relationships to be found. I absolutely love it. "Sunset Boulevard" is arguably the most perfect example of the genre. Omg, that closing set-piece of Norma descending the stairs surrounded by cops and reporters, like a dream or a ballet, wow!!! I can watch that clip over and over. And the framing shots of Joe dead in the pool, filmed from below with the cops above him - another world-famous movie still. Btw, film-noir is also known for breaking the rules of POV in storytelling. Joe telling us the story from beyond the grave is the kind of thing noir asks us to just accept without question. Fun fact: Hollywood hated this movie with a vengeance. Powerful people in the big studios tried to prevent it from being made and then from being released. It's a little too honest about the way the industry milks people dry and forgets them when they're all used up. Even though it's completely fictional, it hit like a scandalous tell-all. Everyone was angry about it. Also, several older female stars were approached to play Norma, and they all turned it down, some angrily. I mean, I think Norma is an amazing character and any good actor would be eager to play the role, but like I said - it was a little too honest, too true, too grating on the nerves. None of the other actresses wanted to remind the studios of their age. Only Gloria Swanson said yes, and that itself is pretty amazing. Swanson was as big a silent-movie star as Norma Desmond is supposed to have been. And she was famous for her strict health and beauty regimens, just like we see Norma going through in the movie. In a way, she was Norma Desmond, only mentally healthy - and still working but only occasionally in minor roles and on television. It's kind of wild to think of her agreeing to take a role that was so close to her real lived experience, and then playing that role to the hilt. She was brilliant in this movie.

[@henryellow]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this movie! (And also the fun fact) 😊

[@user-gc8vg6qn8v]

Thanks!

[@henryellow]

Thank you!! 😊

[@rickardroach9075]

21:16 Yes you do… he was floating in the pool at the start of the film!

[@henryellow]

I didn't realize the body in the pool was him 😂

[@missk8tie]

Poor dope...he always wanted a pool.

[@henryellow]

Well, he got it. Not in the way he expected though...

[@wolfgangwolf6060]

Great reaction. Thank you.

[@jaysverrisson1536]

The transition from silent to sound pictures took place over the course of just a few years in the late 1920s, and was basically complete by 1931. This was barely 20 years prior to the release of Sunset Boulevard in 1950, so the film was probably poignant for 1950 audiences in a way that may be hard for viewers in 2024 to completely grasp. (Timewise for us, it would be as if some revolutionary technological advance had occurred in early 2000s that resulted in many or most of the big name movie actors of that time being cast aside and having faded from public memory.) Those 1920s movie stars didn't know what was about to hit them it was almost upon them. One wonders if/when AI will bring equivalent shattering change to the film industry.

[@henryellow]

I see. The transition from silent to sound pictures was a big one. Perhaps the situation is similar to the rise of the internet back then. There's no doubt that new technology is bringing about changes even now (to different industries). Will the people in those affected industries embrace the new era? Or will they be like Norma Desmond? Sometimes it's hard to see the transition when we're in it. Only in hindsight will we realize that things have changed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😊

[@meganlutz7150]

I think this is a well done movie in many ways. It has an interesting storyline, solid acting, and some iconic lines. But it isn’t one of my favorites. It kind of leaves me cold. Maybe because I didn’t care much for Joe’s character. Not sure. But I think it is definitely a classic worth seeing and I can understand why many people like it.

[@melenatorr]

The music Max is playing is Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue, a very famous piece often used in horror movies. But you are right, it is a very, very good piece of music: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ_YomyGjcesraM When I was a child, my parents bought me an LP record of a selection of organ piece by Bach, played by a well known organist, Virgil Fox. I loved this Toccata, of course, and had another favorite, the Little Fugue: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIi8oYydnrZgo5I - I loved and still love, how Bach could make a sort of shimmering with the notes that I could almost see.

[@henryellow]

Thanks for the links! I'll give them a listen 😊

[@melenatorr]

@@henryellow Hope you enjoy! I chose vids that actually show the organist working the instrument: it's impressive and a little intimidating!

[@BigGator5]

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." Fun Fact: Theatrical movie debut of Yvette Vickers (uncredited). Legal Mindset Fact: In subsequent years, two lawsuits have been filed against Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, claiming that Sunset Blvd. (1950) was plagiarized from other scripts. Both suits were dismissed. Cameos Cameos Fact: Absolute Hollywood Legends Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson, H.B. Warner, Ray Evans, and Jay Livingston all appeared as themselves. An entire single book could be written on their accomplishments for each individual. Cut! CUT! Fact: As a practical joke, during the scene where William Holden and Nancy Olson kiss for the first time, Billy Wilder let them carry on for minutes without yelling "Cut!" (he'd already gotten the shot he needed on the first take). Eventually it wasn't Wilder who shouted "Cut!" but Holden's wife, Brenda Marshall, who happened to be on set that day. The Rest Of The Story Fact: Unlike the character she played, Gloria Swanson had accepted the fact that the movies didn't want her anymore and had moved to New York, where she worked on radio and, later, television. Although she had long before ruled out the possibility of a movie comeback, she was nevertheless highly intrigued when she got the offer to play the lead. Casting Notes Fact: Montgomery Clift was originally cast as Joe Gillis but quit the production two weeks before filming began because he had already played the kept man of a wealthy older woman in The Heiress (1949). Clift was also wary of appearing in the film because he was having an affair with a wealthy older former actress, Libby Holman. Holman was reportedly worried the film would parody their relationship and told Clift she would commit suicide if he played the role.

[@PolferiferusII]

You left the best Fact for last. That's so bizarre! :)

[@henryellow]

Some directors just love to play practical jokes like that, don't they? 😂 Thanks for sharing! 👍🏻😊

[@BigGator5]

You're welcome! Go in Peace and Walk with God. 😎 👍