The Bottom Line
I think "Sunset Boulevard" is a great and unusual movie, and it ranks high on my own personal list of the greatest films ever made.
Pros
- Darkly comic look at Hollywood
- Great film noir style
- Unforgettable dialogue and images
Cons
- May be too over-the-top for some
- Some think the film’s middle a little weak
- Some find the movie a little too long
Description
- DVD containing Billy Wilder’s classic 1950 American film "Sunset Boulevard"
- Movie stars William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson
- DVD contains some worthwhile special features, including an audio commentary track
- The picture quality on the DVD is excellent
- The sound quality on the DVD is good
Guide Review - "Sunset Boulevard" DVD
For me, "Sunset Boulevard" is a strange and fascinating film. Joe Gillis (Holden) is a down-on-his-luck young screenwriter who goes to live with Norma Desmond (Swanson), a wealthy former movie actress. Joe becomes the boy-toy of the aging Miss Desmond as he helps her with a script she hopes will enable her to stage a comeback. Meanwhile, Joe makes some astonishing discoveries about the actress' faithful butler (von Stroheim). Also, Joe’s job gets in the way of his budding romance with a perky young woman (Olson). I think Gloria Swanson creates one of the most memorable characters in film history. I love the dialogue in the movie, and it’s hard to top the film's last line: "All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up."
