Sunset Blvd. is a classic noir directed by six-time Oscar winner Billy Wilder. The film is marked by Gloria Swanson’s legendary performance as the vain forgotten star Norma Desmond. This remarkable film has stood the test of time and will be remembered for decades still.

The film focuses on Joe Gillis, a down-and-out screenwriter who is on the verge of losing his beloved car if he doesn’t repay his debts quickly. On a high-speed car chase, he comes across an old Hollywood mansion inhabited by a middle-aged has-been named Norma Desmond. She offers Joe a job: edit a screenplay she has written in hopes of making a comeback to the silver screen. In desperate need for income, Joe accepts the job.

Their formal relationship escalates as Norma starts to buy things for Joe. He realizes that she is vain and fragile, so he avoids hurting her feelings and pride. Problems are exacerbated when Betty Shaefer, a young and attractive screenwriter, offers Joe a partnership in the writing of a screenplay. This conventional love triangle inevitably ends with disastrous results.

This film is for anyone who has an interest in classics, especially of the noir genre. Though the film presented in a simple narrative way, it’s also a character analysis of the effects of vanity and excessive pride. I strongly recommend this film.