The 1950 black and white film, Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder, is a classic old-time Hollywood film that tells the story of Norma Descent. Sunset Boulevard is one of the most famous films for the reasons that it has unbelievable cinematography, unforgettable characters, and an appreciation of magic found in film.
The narrator starts this movie in a fascinating way-he’s already dead; eyes wide open and full of surprise, face down in a swimming pool. This is one of the many factors of the film that people find magical. During the film it’s hard to grasp the concept that the narrator is dead, yet he his telling this story of multiple scripts inside one main script. As an audience, we surrender to the story and believe that anything is possible, which is magic. It allows us to see the entire movie connected to the movie process. When the narrator, Joe Gillis, stumbles into the mansion of Norma Descent he is taken by surprise. Although Norma is your typical movie star who is obsessed with the idea of fame and everything that comes with being famous, her mansion is dreamlike. She has everything; she has the movies. Throughout the story, it is made clear that Norma has no limits and she will get whatever she wants because of her ego and imagination. We learn just how big her ego is early on when Joe refers to her as, “Norma Descent, you used to be big” and her response being, “ I AM big, it’s the PICTURES that got small.”
Throughout the entire storyline, it is apparent that Norma has been brainwashed by the fame machine. Norma lives for the magic of movies. She wants to be ageless and as American’s, we expect them to be timeless. This is what Norma is struggling with the entire film because of the image that fame created in her mind. Our culture wants women to be ageless, which is impossible. But for Norma, she still see’s herself as the 17-year-old silent film actress. She’s built a world where everywhere she looks in her house, she is 17. Norma cannot understand why if she is so famous, why she can’t get any more movies. This is also Max’s fault because he is the one that writes her fan mail because she has suffered from a complete break with reality.
Norma’s reality became the story that we the audience were watching. Her reality left her, and in a sense, it was a magical experience. Norma’s life was like a death sentence from her life of fame. The worst thing that can happen to a famous person is to not be famous anymore. At the point where she realizes Joe isn’t come back for her, she follows him outside shoots him. At the end of this scene, Max is at Norma’s side and she oh so beautifully says, “the stars are ageless, aren’t they?” Norma is not only fighting her age, but time.
Sunset Boulevard seems ageless, even if Norma Descent tragically is not. The films final minutes are the most memorable of the entire film. The crazed and deluded women is convinced to go quietly down the stairs to her awaiting car-to surrender, only by being made to think that she is experiencing her come back to the film industry. In the memorable conclusion of her grand entrance down her staircase, she believes that she is playing her most important role of her life, the role of Salome, from her very own script. As she is overwhelmed with joy, she stops to take in the moment and says the most famous line that is used in countless movies today, “I’m ready for my close up,” and she slips backward in time to her glory days- a time that has passed forever.
I like that you stated how Norma is completely brainwashed and infatuated with herself, which is evident throughout the film. I also like that you pointed out how movies like for women to be ageless, even though it impossible, and that Norma believes that she is still a movie star. However, I do believe that it is important to state other characters in the movie, since your thesis mentioned "unforgettable characters" and really the only character discussed is Norma. Joe was also an important character, since the entire film revolves around his experience with Norma. Sure, Norma is selfish and wants everything to revolve around her (as does Joe's life once he meets her and in a sense the film as well), but keep in mind that the movie is told from Joe's point of view and the situations he puts Norma in as a result of his actions. For example, when Norma finds out that he has been spending time with Betty, she calls Betty to reveal Joe's true self. Joe then tells Norma that she has faded from reality and reveals that Max writes her fan mail, which gets him killed. Max is also another important character, since he is the one that basically spies on Joe. When Joe is with Betty at the New Year's party, Max calls him to tell him that Norma has attempted suicide (which was clearly a lie). Max sees Joe with Betty a few times throughout the film and does what he can to hid it from Norma, whom he is still in love with.
ReplyDelete-Melissa Villanueva
I love this theatrical post. I think it's a thorough evaluation of Norma Desmond's character. I do, however, regret that you didn't speak more on the fact that the movie is a movie within a movie within a movie. Yes, the story line is mostly about Norma but Joe is just as critical a character as is Max and Betty Schaefer. It's not just about Norma's starvation for hunger, but about Hollywood in general. The pain and labor of fame, and the things people are willing to do for it. The long and hard task of scripting a movie is, I believe, a very vital piece of the movie which has been left out. They are all so intertwined in this mess that is seemingly Hollywood (which none of us can know first hand). Max's character is fully devoted to Norma, Norma is devoted to her career and Joe, and Joe is committed only to himself and his want for success in the movies (which involves Betty). I enjoy the simplicity of your discussion from Norma's "point-of-view" but I think it is much messier and mysterious than that. Since, in agreeing with your first statement, it is being told by the dead man Joe Gillis. This could all be fabricated from Joe's experiences.
ReplyDeleteBut overall, I think it was an excellent summary of Norma's character.
-Katie Conley