Sunset Boulevard

The cool thing about this noir gem, aside from its impressive ode to classic Hollywood, is that it manages with equal brilliance to hold up a mirror to the entire tinsel colossus. Its non-trivial approach results, among other things, in the fact that Sunset Boulevard still has an absolutely timeless effect to this day and rightfully ranks among the absolute top of the film noir genre. [90%] (21/12/2022)

My experience with Double Indemnity taught me that in the case of Wilder's films, it is not important what, but how. The storyline is simple, so there is no need to worry about spoilers in this case. In the first shot, you will see a dead man who will immediately start narrating from the position of the storyteller, describing how he got the bullets in his body. After fifteen minutes, the motive becomes clear even to the keen observer. It doesn't make sense to classify the movie as a crime genre; it is rather a psychological drama in a noir implementation, a study of the gradual psychological self-destruction of a person who voluntarily isolated themselves from society and lives in self-delusion. He created an illusion that costs him more and more mental strength to maintain and distorts his character. Wilder focuses on the atmosphere, and the inevitable decay of the characters is similar to the deterioration of a luxurious mansion once teeming with life, now as useless as the life of its owner. The pompousness of the props, covered in dust without use, only underlines the hopelessness of the position of a movie star who tries in vain to stop time. Practically all characters are somehow connected to the world of cinema, and Wilder, with his perfect knowledge of the environment, describes the ruthless machinery of the film industry, where only a few succeed in fierce competition, and their time in the limelight is painfully short. The heart of the movie is not the protagonist - the narrator, but Norma, a half-forgotten diva of the silent film era, gifted with repulsive self-centeredness, affected and increasingly dangerous due to her obsession to regain lost fame. In that microcosm of the luxurious villa, she can still play the role of a star, even though she has only one devoted fan left. The real world outside of this enclave is indifferent to her, and anyone who tries to open her eyes is an enemy. The icy queen unknowingly, but relentlessly, prepares for her final role. Wilder directed this film inventively, with precision, sensitivity, and thoughtfulness, which rightfully made him one of the legends of the genre and even the world of film of that era. Overall impression: 90%. (27/02/2013)

Sunset Blvd. is one of those films that I have to constantly re-evaluate within myself because too many people try to reinterpret it and rape its premise. I'd recommend more study of Gloria Swanson's career, as without her you have no chance to grasp this Wilder pun, even if you may struggle to endlessly analyze the narrative to your own taste. (25/01/2017)

It occurs to me that it's not exactly flattery when (for example) Hollywood is referred to as the Dream Factory. If it makes the audience dream, that's good. But when the stars HAVE to dream because of it, it's worse. Sunset Boulevard captures all this transience very convincingly, mercilessly passes it on and still has something to say. Buster Keaton's role (he said one word, but twice!) delighted me, and Gloria Swanson, William Holden and Erich von Stroheim thrilled me. (08/05/2016)

By watching Sunset Boulevard I have taken another necessary step towards the dream moment when I can finally call myself a full-fledged movie buff. It’s a concept that has remained practically unchanged over time and that we do not necessarily have to look at as a creation that has been obediently flattened according to the requirements of its era, and especially Hollywood. This, on the contrary, is a film that to a certain extent contradicts conventions, and by criticising them in a very innovative and striking way ("caustically" from the distributor's blurb is quite apt), it sends a quite clear message to future generations of filmmakers: I’m still here and you will not get rid of me. :) A beautiful Nancy Olson, a convincingly bleak Gloria Swanson, a charismatic Holden, and excellent direction by one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. In other words, satisfaction. 90% (02/03/2014)