Hollywood Success in the Film “Sunset Boulevard” Case Study

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The film Sunset Boulevard throws light on the experiences of people who want to achieve success in Hollywood. It should be mentioned that this movie represents such a genre as film noir. This paper is aimed at discussing the behavior of such characters as Joe Gillis and Norma Desmond. To some degree, these protagonists are not willing to recognize their flaws as well as inconsistency of their actions. As a result, both of them are eventually doomed to failure because of their inability to accept reality.

At first, one should mention that the movie Sunset Boulevard exemplifies such a genre as film noir. It is characterized by certain thematic and stylistic elements; in particular, critics speak about chiaroscuro or the contrast between light and dark, the use of shadows that conceal people’s faces, and the so-called Dutch angles (Smith, 2013, p. 240). Additionally, these films usually explore such themes as people’s disillusionment, their failed attempts to retain their moral integrity, and their cynicism (Smith, 2013, p. 239; Silverblatt, 2014).

In this context, the word genre is used to describe a set of cinematographic works that have common stylistic or compositional elements (Silverblatt, 2014). Certainly, film noirs have also evolved considerably with time passing; nevertheless, many of the stylistic elements identified in this section can be observed. Moreover, Sunset Boulevard is regarded as a classical film noir. In addition to that, the protagonists of this movie illustrate the canons of this genre.

To some degree, Joe Gillis exemplifies the qualities of many conventional characters who are described in film noirs. The film-makers immediately let the audience see that he is doomed to failure. At the beginning, the viewers can see his body floating in the swimming-pool (Bracket & Wilder, 1950). The movie has a non-linear plot which explores the events leading to the death of this character. The viewers learn that Joe Gillis is an aspirating script writer who has not been able to achieve success in Hollywood (Bracket & Wilder, 1950).

This person wants to earn his living through creativity, but his talent has not been appreciated. The film-makers highlight several contradictions in the behavior of this person. In particular, Joe regards himself as a very ambitious person; moreover, he is sensitive to everything that can affect his self-esteem. For instance, at the beginning, he feels offended by Betty Schaefer who criticizes the script that he offered to the film studio (Bracket & Wilder, 1950).

However, he agrees to cooperate with Norma Desmond, even though he understands that her script is absolutely hopeless (Bracket & Wilder, 1950). He is quite satisfied with the idea that she offers him financial assistance. Without this help, he will be forced to leave Hollywood.

This person wants to be self-sufficient, but at the same time, he agrees to accept the gifts from the woman who he does not even love. Overall, the characters described in film noirs do not always act according to their principles and convictions. This argument can be fully applicable to Joe Gillis. This is one of the details that should be taken into account.

Joe eventually understands that his actions are flawed, but at a certain point, it is too late for him to avoid the tragedy. One should keep in mind that Joe is not devoid of certain attractive qualities such as pity and empathy. For instance, he returns to Norma knowing that she may commit suicide without him. Therefore, the viewers may feel empathy for him. Nevertheless, at the same time, the audience can see the flaws of his reasoning. This is one of the details that can be distinguished.

Additionally, one should speak about Norma Desmond. She exemplifies the archetypical character known as femme fatale. It should be mentioned that she was a famous movie star during the period of silent cinema. Nevertheless, her name has been forgotten at the time when sound movies became more popular. The term femme fatale is used to depict a seductive female who can easily manipulate men (Joshi, 2007, p. 509). The critical issue is that she has lost her power to enchant or seduce men.

However, she does not want to accept this idea because it is comparable to the lifetime failure. This character craves mostly for admiration and recognition. For instance, she enjoys letters allegedly written by her fans; however, she does not even suspect that these letters were written by her butler (Bracket & Wilder, 1950). Her need for vanity turns into obsession, and she does not understand that other people simply try to flatter her, but they no longer perceive her a movie star.

For instance, one can mention the director Cecil DeMille who chose Norma as the main star for many of his movies. To a great extent, she can be compared to another female character included in this film. In particular, one can refer to Betty Schaefer who is a very realistic person. She understands that she can never become a movie star, but she is quite satisfied with the role of a script reader.

She can be viewed as a person who can easily adjust to the changes that affect Hollywood (Negra & Holmes, 2011, p. 108). In contrast, Norma lacks this quality, and she regards Betty as the enemy.

At the end, Norma eventually loses her sanity and kills Joe when he tries to leave her. When police officers arrive to arrest her for the murder, she thinks that she performs on the stage. So, one can argue that Norma’s need for glory and admiration deprived her of her ability to distinguish reality and imaginary world. Thus, this movie shows that inability to accept reality can destroy the life of a person. This is one of the points that can be made.

To a great extent, these characters illustrate the disastrous impacts of escapism on individuals. The film-makers are able to evoke compassion for the protagonists, even though these people have considerable flaws. In particular, Norma is driven by the need for fame and the desire to control men. She does not understand that she will never regain these qualities. In turn, Joe wants to become a self-sufficient person, but he is quite ready to accept the idea of dependency, at least for a short time.

In turn, the film demonstrates that such moral compromises can lead to a disaster. Moreover, the failure to recognize one’s mistakes can eventually result in the disaster. The protagonists highlight some of the main themes explored in film noirs, especially disillusionment and disappointment of a person. These are some of the main details that should be taken into consideration.

Reference List

Bracket, C. (Producer), & Wilder, B. (Director). (1950). Sunset Boulevard [Motion Picture]. Los Angeles, Cal: Paramount Pictures.

Joshi, S. (2007). Icons of Horror and the Supernatural: An Encyclopedia of Our Worst Nightmares. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Negra, D., & Holmes, S. (2011). In the Limelight and Under the Microscope: Forms and Functions of Female Celebrity. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Silverblatt, A. (2014). Media Literacy: Keys to interpreting media messages. Westport, CN: Praeger.

Smith, E. (2013). The Roman Polanski Handbook – Everything you need to know about Roman Polanski. New York, NY: Emereo Publishing.

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IvyPanda. 2020. "Hollywood Success in the Film "Sunset Boulevard"." May 5, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/hollywood-success-in-the-film-sunset-boulevard/.

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