SHOP SUNSET BLVD.
IMDb >
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Quicklinks
Top Links
Overview
Promotional
Awards & Reviews
Plot & Quotes
Fun Stuff
-FAQ
Other Info
External Links
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Photos (see all 25 photos) |
Release Date:
4 August 1950 (USA) moreTagline:
A Hollywood Story morePlot Outline:
A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. morePlot Synopsis:
This plot synopsis is empty. Add a synopsisAwards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 13 nominations moreUser Comments:
They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore more(Cast overview, first billed only)
William Holden | ... | Joe Gillis | |
Gloria Swanson | ... | Norma Desmond | |
Erich von Stroheim | ... | Max von Mayerling | |
Nancy Olson | ... | Betty Schaefer | |
Fred Clark | ... | Sheldrake | |
Lloyd Gough | ... | Morino | |
Jack Webb | ... | Artie Green | |
Franklyn Farnum | ... | Undertaker | |
Larry J. Blake | ... | Finance man #1 (as Larry Blake) | |
Charles Dayton | ... | Finance man #2 | |
Cecil B. DeMille | ... | Himself | |
Hedda Hopper | ... | Herself | |
Buster Keaton | ... | Himself, Bridge Player | |
Anna Q. Nilsson | ... | Herself, Bridge Player | |
H.B. Warner | ... | Himself, Bridge Player |
Also Known As:
Sunset Boulevard (UK) (USA) (alternative spelling)A Can of Beans (USA) (fake working title)
more
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
110 min / Argentina:115 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Certification:
Canada:A (Nova Scotia) / Canada:G (Quebec) / Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) / Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) / Hungary:14 / Argentina:13 / Australia:PG / Finland:K-16 / Spain:18 / Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1982) / Sweden:15 (original rating) / UK:PG / USA:Unrated / West Germany:16MOVIEmeter:
10% since last week why?Trivia:
Set non-holiday all time house record of $166,000 at Radio City Music Hall when it opened. moreGoofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the New Year's Eve party (at Norma's house), we hear someone plucking a violin, but when we look at the orchestra, they are all playing with their bows. moreQuotes:
[first lines]Joe Gillis: Yes, this is Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California. It's about 5 0'clock in the morning. That's the homicide squad, complete with detectives and newspaper men.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Atomic Brain (#6.18)" (1993) moreSoundtrack:
Charmaine moreWhat model is Norma Desmond's car?
What is the correct title - "Blvd." or "Boulevard"?
Who are Norma's card-playing partners?
more
(Comment on this title)
more
Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Sunset Blvd. (1950) more
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Add a recommendation |
Show more recommendations
American Beauty | Adaptation. | A Star Is Born | Daymaker | I Love Your Work |
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
News articles | IMDb top 250 movies | IMDb Drama section |
IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |
This is such a great film on so many levels I can't really settle on where to begin. It is so beautifully shot (in that stark black/white that only nitrate negative could achieve), has a witty, clever and extremely well-written script, features some of the best acting in film's history, acrobatically balances the main plot/subplots with expert precision, contains some of the best characters on celluloid, has many true-to-life parallels (Swanson's career/real life cameos/DeMille's involvement/etc) and is peppered with such great dialogue/narration that today's film writers should take note. If that weren't enough, there's even a cameo by silent film great Buster Keaton (among others).
One of the most appealing aspects of this film is how, in the story, an aging, forgotten star is trying to recapture a bygone era (the silent film era). What's interesting is that now, so many years later, we're looking back at her looking back. To present day viewers, Gloria Swanson of the 1950's is a long forgotten lost gem and to experience her own longing for the 1920's is especially captivating (and a little chilling, I might add). I don't think this film could have had that same effect when it debuted and maybe this added dimension holds so much more appeal for today's audiences. We all know that nothing lasts forever, but we don't often consider the abandoned participants; much like the veterans of a past war.
In response to the famous Swanson line (while watching one of her silent films): "...we didn't need dialogue; we had faces", I'd like to also add that they "didn't need movies; they had films."
They truly don't make them like this anymore. 10/10