Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard, though at times harshly critical of the motion picture business, is considered a great achievement and a true classic among films made during the height of Hollywood’s Heyday.

While the story is narrated by down-on-his-luck screenwriter Joe Gillis, or rather, his corpse, the real star of the movie, both literally and figuratively, is the character of Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson. A silent film star, Desmond hasn’t made a picture for over twenty years and still believes herself to be the greatest star who ever lived, despite the fact that her fans have all seemed to have deserted her. Living as a recluse in her Sunset Boulevard mansion with no one but her faithful butler, Max, she is desperate for human contact and affection and finds it in the arms of Joe. Gloria Swanson herself had been a silent movie actress, and many of her physical gestures and facial expressions serve to illustrate that point and help to make her portrayal of Norma Desmond more effective, especially during the last fifteen minutes of the film.

The first scene we will look at begins as Joe has just let his true love, young Betty Schaeffer, walk out of his life, and realizing that his chances of respectable independence are slipping away, decides to leave Norma for good, and goes to his room to pack. Norma follows him, tries to persuade him to stay, and when he tries to walk away from the house on Sunset Boulevard forever, she shoots him, rather than letting him leave her.

Though at first glance, the scene may seem rather simple and straightforward, Swanson’s performance is tempered and nuanced, adding great depth and complexity, which serves to make the scene more memorable. As Joe brushes past her, Norma’s back is to the camera, but her shoulders arch slightly, betraying her tenseness and guarded fear of what Joe might do next. She clutches at his arm, trying to pull him to her, desperate for human contact and warmth, which she has found with him during the past few months, but fails to grasp him as he continues his way into his bedroom.

Norma follows him, stopping for a moment in front of a mirror in the hallway. She panics momentarily, her eyes widening with a horrified realization as she sees her crazed and aged reflection staring back at her. She quickly and frantically tries to glamorize herself, ripping off the cosmetic tape from around her eyes and runs her claw-like fingers through her hair. She notices her negligee has become haphazard in her earlier state of desperation and straightens it, striking a pose meant for seduction. Her head tilts back, her eyes half closed as though peering into an invisible spotlight, like one befitting the movie queen she still believes herself to be. She moves on to the closed door, first lightly scratching at it like a wounded animal, then presses her body against it and caresses the wooden panels as if it were the body of her lover.

Finally, she opens the door, but instead of entering, stands in the doorway peering in at Joe packing his bags. He tells her that he is leaving her and her eyes and mouth widen in shock, her head involuntarily shaking out of panic and anger and sorrow. She calls for her butler and rushes into the room, bracing herself on the bed, getting ready to fight a long battle and wanting something to lean on in case she should fail to win. She leans down, her head tilted up at him, and begs him to stay, but he refuses. She grabs at his suitcase and hides her face behind it, but realizing that it will do no good, turns her back to the camera and goes into the other room to get her gun.

In a moment, Norma has returned with her gun, holding it gently in her palms like a piece of jewelry and turns to face Joe. He acts indifferently and she throws back her head, nose in the air with pride and shakes her head almost violently as she speaks to punctuate her words, a crazed grin spread wide across her lips. Joe deflates her ego by telling her of DeMille’s lack of interest, and her smile fades, though she still tries to maintain her proud faзade. She then walks away from Joe a few steps, staring widely and hopefully into space, as she goes into her dream world where she is still the star that she once was. Joe walks out the door and down the stairs, and Norma follows, the gun flailing wildly in her hands as she chases after him. He reaches the edge of the pool, and in a long shot, she shoots him three times. As Max goes to help, the camera cuts to her sitting on her balcony, looking up at the stars, imagining herself to be one as well.

The next time we see Norma, she is surrounded by police and reporters. Now, completely enveloped in her insanity where she is still a legend, she sits silently and primps in front of her vanity. She speaks no words, only methodically fluffing her hair and smoothing out her skin, eyes wide in her madness. She reacts only when the word camera is mentioned,