Eric266
They don't make movies like this anymore. Great dialogue, well-rounded characters, excellent direction, a nice pace, and fantastic acting. I've never really followed Holden's career and I've never seen Swanson before in a movie, but these two are phenomenal.Holden is a hack writer, Joe Gillis, who literally stumbles upon washed up actress Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in her creepy mansion. They form a bond borne of both desperation and neediness. He needs money, she needs attention. Along the way, Joe meets Norma's butler/companion, Max, a fellow writer, Betty (Nancy Olson), and Joe's buddy, Artie (a pre-Dragnet Jack Webb).At first Joe sees this as a great way to get some money (his car is about to be repossessed). But as Norma slowly descends into madness, she starts pulling Joe with her. Ultimately, Norma completely loses her senses and Joe suffers for it. Holden and Swanson make the slow, painful descent completely believable. I'm sure there are other actors/actresses out there who could have pulled off these roles, but its hard to think of any. Holden is a smart aleck who makes jokes and writes dialogue with equal talent. Swanson is downright scary as the actress Hollywood wants to forget, but she refuses to let them off easy. She reminded me of that girlfriend who you break up with, but she refuses to accept it.I really loved the dialogue. Joe narrating the proceedings is an interesting quirk if you know the beginning of the movie (everything is told in flashbacks). The banter between the two is sometimes caring, sweet, and loving. Other times its harsh, angry and downright ugly. They both need each other, but being together is the worst thing for them.Hollywood has made some really great movies over the years. However, CGI, sex, and explosions have taken the place of great plots, dialogue and acting. Even though I was not born until 1966, I love these old movies. You just can't fake this kind of talent.
johnmichaelwuimdb
This movie deserves all of its fame. It is the creepiest movie I've seen in recent memory, but not in the usual way. In fact, it is a perfectly believable story about perfectly believable people -- no supernatural stuff. And yet, man, what a draining film.I could go on and on, but I'll keep my review covering just the most salient points. Perhaps the most important of these is that the movie explores the concept of wealth combined with loneliness better than any other I've seen to date. Norma's desperate cries, the large house they live in, the strange things that seem to always be happening; I think whenever I think of the combination of wealth and loneliness again in the future, Norma Desmond is the character I will have in my mind. This is one of the great movies about Hollywood. Even if you're not interested in that stuff though, you'll still find something to your liking here. Just watch it.
kennykip
This film encompasses the Noir style of filmmaking, the dark tones of the movie with the flashbacks and underlying mystery of it all just draws the viewer in. i would definitely recommend this movie to some one who is a fan of Noir style films and has not yet seen this one. the way that this film depicts the industry and how actors and actresses are portrayed in this film are years and years ahead of their time.
Matt Greene
Sunset Blvd. is a capital D Dark comedy, perfectly walking the line between extremely unsettling & absurdly hilarious (dead ape). The writing is among the best of its kind; flowery & full of noir-heavy tropes that sit within the genre while standing above it. Swanson is of course undeniable, but Holden shouldn't be forgotten, playing the line between Stockholm syndrome & sly suspension skillfully and coolly. A better film than Demille could ever make.
AD
