A screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.A screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.A screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.
- Won 3 Oscars
- 19 wins & 20 nominations total
Larry J. Blake
- 1st Finance Man
- (as Larry Blake)
Fred Aldrich
- Cop Who Drags Joe's Body from Pool
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaUnlike 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.
- GoofsWhen Max is telling Joe about directing Madam's first pictures, there is a bad dub of the word "sixteen". After the Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle trial and the subsequent establishment of the Hays Office to enforce the new Production Code, the producers were concerned that the original age of 14 would be considered child porn and had the line changed in post.
- Quotes
Joe Gillis: Wait a minute, haven't I seen you before? I know your face.
Norma Desmond: Get out! Or shall I call my servant?
Joe Gillis: You're Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big.
Norma Desmond: I *am* big. It's the *pictures* that got small.
- Crazy creditsThe Paramount logo appears as a transparency over the opening shot. The words "Sunset Blvd." are shown stenciled on the curb of that street.
- ConnectionsEdited into Les Amoureux du cinéma (1987)
- SoundtracksThe Paramount-Don't-Want-Me Blues
(1950) (uncredited)
Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Performed by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans at Artie's party
Featured review
Joe Gillis is floating face down in a pool and tells his story.That story tells how he met Norma Desmond, a big star from the silent era who now is forgotten by the people.She's planning a major comeback with a script of Salome.She wants Joe to help her with the movie.The movie's no good, everybody can see that, but Joe still stays around to help her.Soon he realizes that it was a big mistake.Sunset Blvd. (1950) is a masterpiece from the master called Billy Wilder.The actors are really unique.William Holden is superb as Joe Gillis and Gloria Swanson, an actual silent film star, is absolutely brilliant as Norma.Erich von Stroheim does a wonderful job as Max von Mayerling and so does the beautiful Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer.In cameos you can see people like Cecil B.DeMille and Buster Keaton.The movie is something really special from the beginning till the end.You can't see movies like this these days.Now we don't have directors like Billy Wilder to make them.In his movies everything usually worked.Especially the dialog was something you don't have so often in modern movies.What happened to the great writers? Only a few seem to exist.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- El ocaso de una vida
- Filming locations
- 10060 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA(Norma Desmond's driveway gate)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,752,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $299,645
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $169,067
- May 13, 2018
- Gross worldwide
- $308,663
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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