Sunset Boulevard 1950

The film begins with a striking scene as the camera tracks along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, where police cars rush towards a lavish mansion. Within its pool lies the lifeless body of the young man, Joe Gillis (William Holden). As law enforcement gathers, Joe’s voice narrates the tale leading to his own demise, unfolding through flashbacks.

Six months prior, Joe was struggling to make a living as a screenwriter, having only a handful of mediocre films to his name. With his finances dwindling and facing the repossession of his car, he attempts to sell his latest script to Paramount Pictures producer Sheldrake (Fred Clark), but is thwarted when script reader Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson) gives a scathing review. In desperation, Joe seeks financial help from his friends, to no avail. While fleeing from the repo men, he finds himself with a flat tire outside a seemingly abandoned mansion.

As he hides his car in the garage, Joe is lured inside by a voice. He is mistakenly believed to be the undertaker for a deceased pet chimp and is welcomed by the enigmatic butler, Max Von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim). Inside, he encounters the former silent film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who, upon discovering he is a writer, unveils her ambitious script for a film adaptation of Salome, hoping to rekindle her acting career. Despite finding the script dreadful, Joe flatters her, securing the job as her editor.

Settling into the mansion, Joe initially occupies a room above the garage but soon moves into the house itself, with Norma insisting on his comfort. As he delves into her script, he becomes increasingly aware of Norma’s obliviousness to her faded fame and career. Despite receiving fan mail, Joe learns that Max has been sending the letters to maintain her fantasy. Max reveals to Joe that Norma’s mental state has deteriorated before, leading to previous suicide attempts.

Over time, Norma showers Joe with attention and lavish gifts, including a tuxedo for a private New Year’s Eve celebration just for the two of them. However, when Joe realizes she has developed romantic feelings for him, he attempts a gentle rejection, which results in Norma lashing out and retreating. Believing his time with her is at an end, Joe escapes to a party hosted by his friend, Artie Green (Jack Webb), where he reunites with Betty, who sees promise in one of his scripts. Yet, Joe feels compelled to inform Max of his intent to leave. His plans change when he learns of Norma’s suicide attempt, prompting him to return and apologize, leading to an intimate encounter.

As Norma completes her script and submits it to Cecil B. DeMille (Cecil B. DeMille), she awaits his response with impatient anticipation. Calls from the studio requesting Norma generate tension, as she stubbornly refuses to speak with anyone but DeMille. Eventually, Max drives her and Joe to the studio in her vintage Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A. While Norma is greeted warmly by older crew members recognizing her, Joe learns from Max that DeMille has little interest in her script, which he has secretly deemed awful. Max’s loyalty to Norma is rooted in their shared past as her former husband and director, which complicates their current dynamic.

As Norma engages in extensive beauty regimens, Joe secretly collaborates with Betty on a screenplay. Their relationship becomes complicated as Betty, now engaged to Artie, develops feelings for Joe. When Norma discovers the script bears Betty’s name, she confronts Betty with derogatory implications about Joe. In a bid to shield her, Joe wrongly allows Betty to believe the worst about him. After their painful separation, Joe decides to leave for Ohio but confronts Norma with the cold truth: her career is over, the fan letters are fabricated, and she has been forgotten. In a fit of rage, Norma shoots Joe as he tries to leave, leaving him lifeless in the pool.

The narrative circles back to the beginning, revealing Joe’s fears for Norma’s future in a world she can no longer comprehend. By the time the police arrive, Norma’s grip on reality has utterly disintegrated. In her delusion, she believes the news media are there to film a new picture. To pacify her and assist the police in bringing her down, Max plays along with her fantasy, exclaiming “Action!” as she dramatically descends the staircase. Joe, narrating in voiceover, reflects on how life has spared her from the harsh reality she refuses to face, affirming that “The dream she clung to so desperately had enfolded her.” Ending with her iconic line, “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” Norma embodies the tragic essence of the Hollywood dream.