Billy Wilder’s, black and white classic Sunset Boulevard, takes
the audience on a mysterious journey through the life of Hollywood’s fallen
star- Norma Desmond. In what seems like the most public place on Earth, we are
taken into the depths of a private estate, opening our eyes to the reality of
what it is like to be famous, and then forgotten.
Wilder takes us on this incredible journey with Norma Desmond,
and her new found love Joe Gillis, with his amazing use of cinematography. He
used illumination in a way that created the essence of Norma’s character. Many
times throughout the movie, Norma Desmond’s face is covered with a shadow of
some sort. It really plays on the idea of Norma herself being a fallen shadow in
Hollywood’s glamorous world. She was once at the top of Hollywood, and now she
is just a mere shadow. We also see him use light to illuminate her face at the
end of the movie- when she believes that she is once again a star in Hollywood.
This use of lighting throughout the film created parallels to what was
happening in Norma’s life and created for a dramatic feel, even though it was
just a black and white movie.
Although volumes are spoken about the character of Norma Desmond
throughout this film, it is also intriguing to look at the life of Joe Gillis.
After the opening scenes, when we first meet Joe Gillis, we learn that he is
currently a struggling writer. Much like Norma Desmond he was once on top, and
he seems to slowly be falling in the cruel Hollywood world. As Joe tries to
stay afloat he works with Betty Schaefer to create a screenplay worthy of
putting him back on top, unfortunately his life ends before he can do so. The
intriguing part of this is that he is the one who is telling us the story of
his life, and his encounters with Norma Desmond herself. Here he has this
wonderful story, one that has the audience captivated, and worthy of becoming a
movie, and he is unable to write it all out.
Wilder not only captivates the lives of two struggling people in
Hollywood, but he also takes us inside the realm of what being famous is really
all about. We are only shown the glamour of Hollywood and a lot of the ups.
However Wilder is not afraid to take us down a spiraling path. The long lasting
effects of no longer being on top can create a sense of distortion for someone-
almost as if they are not living in reality. We see this through the character
of Norma Desmond. Her once glamorous and glitzy life has now been traded in for
someone who is forgotten, and no longer regarded as the best. We also see that
Max- her first husband, helps instill this fantasy in her world. By writing her
fan letters that make her think she is still wanted. Through these kind of instances
she loses herself in the world of what was and not the world of what is. She
has created her own idea of what she is, and refuses to let go of that in fear
of losing herself.
Sunset Boulevard is a juicy, entrancing movie taking us into the
realms of Hollywood. As an audience we are taken on a whirlwind journey through
the life of someone who was so passionate about something- that no longer being
able to have that can cause a life to come crumbling down. Regarded as an
American classic, Sunset Boulevard is a must see movie.
-Paola Ogadzhanova
In your third paragraph, you made a good point in addressing Joe Gillis. We talk so much about Norma Desmond that he sometimes gets over shadowed. I think he also wanted some sort of fame, mostly for the money. In some ways he is like Norma. He wanted the fame that is why he began to work with Betty Schaefer to create a screenplay to put him back in the lime light, along with some cash flow. Norma Desmond looked to Joe as her chance to return as superstar and Joe looked to Betty as his return to Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteYou also addressed a valid point in the second paragraph. With the use of shadow on Norma, Wilder creatively used that as a comparison to show that Hollywood put her in the “shadow” of younger, more appealing actresses. Norma would do anything to get herself back in the spotlight; she even killed Joe Gillis because he was jeopardizing her path back to Hollywood.
Norma Desmond wholeheartedly believed that, “Stars are ageless.” In the show business, where Hollywood is so merciless to women, Norma hopes to overcome this obstacle to remain at the top against the other actresses.
ReplyDeleteAfter further analyzing Norma Desmond’s life, the audience can conclude that she tried relentlessly in attempt to regain her Hollywood fame. Prior to Joe Gillis’s tragic murder, Desmond lived a glamorous career as a silent-film actress. However, like all Hollywood stars, her popularity and fame inevitably faded as she grew older. Norma Desmond could not stand the thought that other young actresses were taking her place in the show business. A new age of Hollywood stars were rising into the spotlight. Consequently, Norma became shuffled out of the light and suffered with a shadow casting over her career. Film producers were hesitant to give her another chance at a lead role in another movie. However, in effort to reclaim her popularity, Desmond is willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary to get to the top. Refusing to surrender her career, she tries desperately to preserve her image. As a result of her insanity and reckless pursuit, Norma acts impulsively and shoots Joe Gillis three times. It was no surprise that Norma Desmond was bound to receive some sort of publicity or attention by the end of the film, whether it was good or bad, she did not care. After many failed attempts, Norma received what she had been longing for as she strutted down the stairs during the final curtain call.