Embarrassed to confess the truth to his friends, he’s vague about how he’s living. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the Storyform for Sunset Boulevard. Max loves Norma so much he lets her treat him like a servant, supporting her fantasy for so long that she feels justified to enslave Joe, and arrive on the Paramount lot as if she were a queen. Joe finds himself living in a one-room apartment, behind in his rent, and on the verge of losing his car. NORMA:  Now what is it? For all its humour, Sunset Boulevard is a bitter and queasy film, and the figure of Desmond is its greatest grotesque, a woman of 50 striving to be 25, surrounded by … Not even twenty years of obscurity convinces her that she’ll never be a screen queen again. The bright lights represent fame and success as for the darkness symbolizes lost hope and loneliness. He’s fated to run into Betty again at Artie’s party, only to discover that she’s his friend’s fiancee. Posted by Jennine Lanouette on Tuesday, October 29th, 2013 . made by her father, but during the time were Imelda had problems with her father she Look at my hands, look at my face, look under my eyes. . Betty knows a good story when she reads one, and prepares notes on how to develop Joe’s story and sell it. Joe takes action to solve his problems:  When he needs money to make his car payments, he immediately hustles to raise the it; when the finance men chase him, he races up Sunset Blvd. It’s fate that he should land in dead in the swimming pool Norma had restored and filled especially for him. You weren’t here. Things were tough at the moment. At the same time, its rise has also been affected by the outbreak of the European avant-garde movement, and the Soviet Union director for American movies, especially study on the influence of Griffith film. [. After Louis Bloom witnesses how stringers are filming a car wreck for the news broadcast, he decides that this career is just for him. In Billy Wilder’s magnum opus Sunset Boulevard, the line between dream and delusion is as thin as its leading lady’s eyebrows.Out-of-work screen writer Joe Gillis (William Holden) finds himself ensnared in the delusion of aging has-been Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) when a car chase leaves him stranded with a flat tire in front of her decaying, Spanish-style mansion. . Unfortunately, these efforts are only temporary and the story ends in failure. Where were you? Forgotten star a slayer. It inspired a … Content by Tony Macklin.Originally published on March 9, 2009 @ tonymacklin.net. He’s shot by her three times and dies in her swimming pool. Sunset Boulevard Film Analysis 1029 Words | 5 Pages. He’s trying to get my price down. . His denial of everything he senses prevents her from knowing the truth and dealing with it. . INTRODUCTION The film was named after the boulevard that runs through Los … . Joe fails to make it as a Hollywood screenwriter and ends up murdered; Norma fails to return to the screen and goes completely mad; Betty doesn’t finish developing the story with Joe as she envisioned; Max doesn’t implement steps to stop Norma from destroying Joe and herself. Only I seemed to have lost my touch. And Sunset Boulevard has one of those folks, too: Norma Desmond. Joe, floating in his watery grave, acknowledges that twisted bit of fate. We look at the deeper meaning of Billy Wilder's noir classic Sunset Boulevard. He hopes his lie will allow Norma to live on the happy memories of her stardom indefinitely. NORMA:  Oh. .! The objective characters focus on their abilities to achieve success in Hollywood. MORINO:  Don’t you know that the finest things in the world have been written on an empty stomach? GILLIS:  Sure you are. She goes to see DeMille, but he doesn’t tell her the truth. light hearted moments. Look, sweetie—be practical. Norma represents falsehood:  She misconstrues the phone calls from Paramount to mean that DeMille intends to direct her script, starring her. What is it you want—money? . He returns and they become lovers. Some carhop, or a dress extra? There is a curious style, a great sense of high voltage about her. . NORMA:  That isn’t true! A very simple setup. . . Norma Desmond was discovered when she was eighteen and groomed into a great silent film star. I’ve got the most wonderful news for you. Summary: A heavy December rain leaks through Joe’s room over the garage, forcing him to relocate to a room in the main house, one adjacent to Norma’s room and formerly used by her 3 ex-husbands. NORMA:  There was a time when this business had the eyes of the whole wide world. . Joe strives to make a living as a writer in Hollywood. MAX:  This is the staircase of the palace. So they opened their big mouths, and out came talk, talk, talk. Betty does everything she can to get Joe to develop his story with her, then she tries to convince him to leave Norma and come away with her until he makes her believe that he’s a lost cause. As he exits the house Norma shoots him, and he lands dead in her swimming pool. To begin with, I, The most important step of building the story is deciding the chronological order of the story. She quickly recovers from her shame when he tenderly wishes her a Happy New Year; driven by her need to be loved, she accepts him back as her lover. GILLIS:  I thought I’d wangled myself a pretty good deal. Sunset Boulevard Summary Police cars race down Sunset Boulevard, a famous street in Los Angeles, where the lifeless body of Joe Gillis is found floating in the swimming pool of a palatial mansion. Paying his rent and buying him clothes helps condition Joe to be tolerant of her overbearing ways, as well. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Sunset Boulevard is famously narrated from beyond the grave, taking the film noir device of the unreliable narrator and making it seem all the more disembodied. . conflict of the story. .] Norma is incapable of being aware of anyone’s feelings or needs except her own. Film Analysis Worksheet FILM Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder_____ First 2-3 Minutes What happens? There’s no denying she possesses an innate ability to captivate an audience. When that fails he implements a plan to inflate his pay rate, do a quick rewrite on Norma’s script, and pay off his debts. Screenwriter Joe Gillis has had some minor success in Hollywood writing B film scripts, but it’s been a long time since he’s sold anything. But DeMille hates her script, and her association with Joe ends in murder and madness. Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard” is the portrait of a forgotten silent star, living in exile in her grotesque mansion, screening her old films, dreaming of a comeback. He purchases a police scanner and a cheap video camera and hits the streets along with his assistant Rick. Norma imagines engaging her astrologer to check DeMille’s horoscope to determine the right time to send him her script so he’ll direct it with her as the star. An Analysis of The Sound Track For The Movie Wall-E Where were you? Sunset Boulevard plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips. . Whether it takes place in the production stage or the post- production stage of sound design. How did this happen? When he walks out the door with his typewriter, she shoots him three times. Now you’ll have to sit behind that typewriter. How can I go back to work if I’m wasting away under this torment? Sunset Boulevard contains something for everyone: elements of mystery, action, romance, and deceit are woven meticulously throughout the film. NORMA:  Those idiot producers! I can’t go on with the scene. Joe’s frustrated when Norma refuses to have her card game interrupted while at that very moment his car is towed away by the finance men. . The story is moved along by actions:  When the finance men try to repossess Joe’s car he runs from them, gets a flat tire, and hides in Norma’s driveway. NORMA:  You heard him. They wanted the ears of the world, too. Sunset Boulevard Film Analysis 1029 Words | 5 Pages. There are only so many ways Joe can get a large amount of cash quickly enough to keep his car from being repossessed, stay in town, and keep himself in the Hollywood game. Joe must start to act with more integrity if he’s going to truly be a success. I remember my walls were covered with black patent leather. GILLIS:  I went for a walk. Sunset Boulevard (styled in the main title on-screen as SUNSET BLVD.) He needs to stop lying to himself about getting by on trite stories and concentrate on writing meaningful material instead. The bright lights represent fame and success as for the darkness symbolizes lost hope and loneliness. “State of Being” is represented in the objective story by Max Von Mayerling:  He’s aware of his lowly station as Norma’s servant, whose main job is ensuring that she never finds out her career is truly over. . © Copyright 1994-2021 Write Brothers, Inc. All Rights Reserved. .] I’ve been in love with you all along. Joe tends to solve problems by using linear thinking:  When his car is about to be repossessed, Joe tries to sell a story to a producer, when that effort fails he asks for money from everyone he knows to make the payments; when he feels suffocated by Norma on New Year’s Eve, he leaves to find a happier party; when offered a chance to work on one of his stories that might sell, Joe sneaks out of Norma’s house to develop the idea; when he decides that he’s no good for Betty, he disgusts her into forgetting about him and marrying a better man. In Billy Wilder’s magnum opus Sunset Boulevard, the line between dream and delusion is as thin as its leading lady’s eyebrows.Out-of-work screen writer Joe Gillis (William Holden) finds himself ensnared in the delusion of aging has-been Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) when a car chase leaves him stranded with a flat tire in front of her decaying, Spanish-style mansion. Norma thinks that she belongs back in the limelight and can manipulate her way to her goal; Joe thinks that Norma’s strange, but he can get some quick cash from her then escape back into the “real” world; Betty believes that if she can convince Joe to co-write his story with her, she’ll launch her screenwriting career; Artie thinks that Betty and Joe should put action scenes in their picture so he can work on it as an assistant director; Max thinks that by sending Norma phony fan letters he can keep her happy and prevent more suicide attempts; Mr. DeMille thinks that by not telling Norma she’ll never do another picture with him, he’s keeping her from being hurt. . Just a story won’t do. Before an analysis on how the movie challenges media representation, it is important for us to understand what is a mockumentary. You can have anything you want if you’ll only stay. The shoes Maybe I could get away with it. [. I’ll be up there again. All I know is, they didn’t sell. It’s one of the most famous endings in Hollywood film history with one of the most famous last lines of dialogue as well: Sunset Blvd. It’s been twenty years since she’s made a picture. This is a shot at 1:33 fromthe title sequence of SunsetBoulevard. She reminds Joe of this when he rejects her idea that they work together: .] Aging actress, yesterday’s glamour queen. No matter how many stories he pumps out, they’ll always be inferior because of his cynical attitude. . .] Joe regrets being sequestered in Norma’s house as her lover, and attempts to free himself which provokes her to kill him. Whether the story comes in a linear ‘beginning, middle, and ending’ order or an untraditional order that may start at the end or the middle will set the ultimate tone of the story, thus the film. She falls in love with Joe and sets him up in her mansion. . Do you want this job or don’t you? Can you figure it out yourself? Joe’s worried because he hasn’t written for a studio in months. The objective characters are all struggling to get or keep their respective piece of the movie business. Betty knows she’ll never be a movie star, but she’s certain she can be a great scriptwriter; she pursues Joe to help her get established. . Norma’s a forgotten woman living alone with her memories. In Billy Wilder’s 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson plays a former silent film star named Norma Desmond who lives as a wealthy recluse in order to protect … Visual as business of character is seen as most scenes take place NORMA:  Stars are ageless, aren’t they? GILLIS:  The rest of the jewelry is in the top drawer. She sees the same path for Joe. . Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy wilder in 1950, is considered to be the greatest film about Hollywood ever put on celluloid by Hollywood. Look at me. Betty imagines that if she can convince Joe to let her help him develop one of his stories, she can earn herself a screen credit and launch her writing career. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the Storyform for Sunset Boulevard. She made twelve pictures with Cecil B. DeMille which saved Paramount Studios. “State of Being” is given more weight in the objective story:  In his last voiceover, the conflict between “sense of self” and “state of being” is explored as Joe muses about the reality Norma will have to face after committing murder: only the price turned out to be a little high. You've reached the "hub" for any and all Dramatica analysis of Sunset Boulevard. NORMA. BETTY:  [. It’s fate that pulls him back to Norma after his first attempt to break free, sealing his doom. Norma, depressed by obscurity, longs to be a star again. In front of him, on a straight chair, is a portable typewriter. When he returns the jewelry she’s given him, Norma offers him more: Her talent to entertain distracts Joe from the boredom of living with her, and delays his escape. This scene was particularly interesting since there was major use of jump cuts and other techniques used in French New Wave. She’s actually surrounded by police and reporters, but at the mention of cameras, believes herself on a movie set. Who is she? He’s had some minor success in Hollywood writing B movies, but it’s been a long time since he’s sold anything. Norma Desmond — Forgotten Silent Film Star. . Norma’s obsession to change from a forgotten actress to a star makes Joe’s life unbearable. That’s what makes one a star. He decides to give up his bid for Hollywood success. Joe’s efforts to break free of Norma fail. Louis starts selling the footage to Nina Romina, the director of the local TV station, who is awed by his material and wishes to get the crime stories involving more blood and cruelty. Patent #5,734,916; #6,105,046. While Joe believes he can manipulate her to his benefit, but he soon finds out he’s dead wrong. You aren’t going to buy me anything more. Meet Joe Gillis. (Thomas, p. 115). JOE GILLIS, barefooted and wearing nothing except shorts and an old bathrobe, is sitting on the bed. The objective characters have different ways of thinking:  Joe’s agent thinks his client’s desperate need for money and the chance that he’ll lose his car is a good thing: GILLIS:  I haven’t been keeping myself at all. What fun we’re going to have. The objective characters’ direct their efforts toward changing their lives:  Betty wants to quit being a studio reader and earn a solid writing credit. . After Joe fails to sell a story idea to a producer, he’s forced to flee finance agents who want to repossess his car. These recollections fill her with happiness and fuel her enormous ego. Character Analysis Of Sunset Boulevard. NORMA:  It’s yours, Joe. Norma conditions Joe to do what she wants by throwing temper tantrums and threatening suicide. . Joe sneaks out of her mansion at night to write a screenplay of his own with a pretty young script reader. When she’s expecting Mr. DeMille himself to call, and it’s instead an assistant, she bitterly recalls their relationship. She lives secluded in her mansion with one servant, writing a horrible script she’s certain Cecil B. Mille will love and want to direct her in. She went through a merciless series of treatments. .] to Leonor as an Anniversary gift turned out to be Romeos’ gift to Tess for her birthday, . Mise-en-Scène?) The drama was well composed, and it remains one of the widely watched comedies globally. . . narrate the story, this was done through dialogue, and some Diegetic sounds were used Getting herself ready for a picture. JOE:  Has it ever occurred that I may have a life of my own? for realism like the sound of pounding hammers inside the shoe shop or the sound of It is a classic black comedy/drama, and perhaps the most acclaimed, but darkest film noir story about “behind the scenes” Hollywood. Joe judges his progress by how things are going in his life. . Norma pauses at the top of the stairs: Her skin is very pale, and she is wearing dark glasses.” (Thomas, p. 123). Joe understands how a job working on Norma’s script can solve his problems: Our goal for this project was to utilizes these photos, along with data collected from the decennial census as well as articles from local publications in order to Lighting? What are your expectations about what the film will be like at this point? . She relies upon astrology to ensure that a partnership with Joe will be successful, and to predict the best time to send DeMille her script. A montage illustrates Norma Desmond's slavish regimen of beauty treatments under blindingly bright lights: After that, an army of beauty experts invaded her house on Sunset Boulevard. He’s living in a tiny apartment, and he’s behind in his rent and car payments. . Norma must learn who is willing to give her another chance at acting; Betty must learn which established writer is willing to collaborate with her to earn her first screen credit; Joe must learn what kind of stories producers want to get his career back on track. Norma hires Joe Gillis to edit her screenplay so she can send it to Cecil B. DeMille, and get back into the movies. Later, Joe tells her the truth about her visit with DeMille. Buy Study Guide. However, using movie magic, he tells the audience what has happened to bring him to his sorry end. ” The segment of Sunset Boulevard that will be analyzed in this essay is significant because, through the use and interplay of cinematography, editing, elements of Mise-en-Scene, and the dialogue, Norma’s delusions are highlighted and magnified. Synopsis Sunset Boulevard (Wilder, B. Concerned about Norma breaking under the pressure of preparing for her picture, Max explains his transformation from Norma’s director and husband to her servant and keeper. But he quickly becomes dissatisfied with the job and annoyed with Norma. Nightcrawler is an exciting thriller about an amateur cameraman, Louis Bloom, who finds passion for the high-speed world of Los Angeles crime journalism which turns into a successful small business. None of us had the heart. The extreme example is, of course, Norma Desmond:  Norma perceives herself to be the greatest star of them all past, present, and future; she dedicates her life to convincing current movie producers that she’s still a star. The only other person besides Norma living at the mansion is Norma's valet, Max, whose unofficial job is to prime Norma's fragile but larger than life ego. He hopes the script will make him financially independent of Norma, but along the way he falls in love with Betty. and hides his car in Norma’s garage; when he’s offered the chance of a job, Joe grabs it, embellishing on his experience and pay rate; when Norma comes on too strong on New Year’s Eve, Joe leaves her house, hitches a ride, and finds people his own age to party with; when he discovers that Norma is harassing Betty, he takes charge of the situation, tells Betty to come see him, then tells her the truth. A younger man who is not doing too well. In discussing Citizen Kane, Charles Higham mentioned "artistic cheats," flaws in credibility whereby characters in scenes gave information about which they couldn't possibly have full detailed knowledge.Sunset Boulevard's entire point of view is based on a gimmick. Need you as I never needed you and have the heart to tell her the truth her... 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