Rating: 9.9/10
Spoilers below for “Sunset Boulevard.”
“Sunset Boulevard,” released in August 1950 and directed by Billy Wilder, subtly crafts what can only be defined as a genre masterpiece, riddled with tantalizing performances, witty dialogue and meticulous attention to detail. The movie begins with the protagonist, Joe Gillis — played by William Holden — poor and desperate for career-defining success as a screenwriter.
Fortunately, Joe catches a break. After his tire flattens, he resides in a dilapidated mansion on Sunset Boulevard and is offered a writing job with room and board by the once-famous star Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson.
After a few months of work, Joe and Norma form a relationship that spirals out of control as Norma’s vicious control over Joe tightens as her most prized possession. The tension between them establishes the gender dynamic displayed throughout the film.
Sounds great, right? Actually, it turns out to be the worst decision of his life.
In these modern times, duplicity of gender roles is a common theme. People often believe certain viewpoints that prioritize men over women, or women over men, but these radical standpoints are simply untrue.
The nature of humanity is that we all function similarly, having similar intelligence but a less than subtle difference in physical strength. The predominant differences between both genders are biological, not mental.
Men are just as capable of narcissism and violent behavior as women. As they say in Congreve’s “The Mourning Bride,” “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
Unlike films in the modern era that focus on women navigating away from their toxic husbands or boyfriends, this film features a rarer viewpoint of an average career man aspiring for greater things who becomes ensnared by the peak of female control.
For all the feminists out there, yes, toxic girl bosses exist. Deal with the facts.
The beginning of the film reflects Joe’s talent and his lack of success, an insight into Hollywood’s studio system. The film features social commentary into the growing efficiency of technology that is shaping American culture, leaving behind individuals who cannot change with the times.
Joe’s character is a product of the past, worn and misused by Hollywood enough to fail his hidden talents. The evolution of American society has degraded him to create the snappy, derelict dialogue present in the film’s opening scenes. For example, the opening scene where Joe discusses his unfortunate life using common slang words and fractured syntax reminiscent of a noir film.
However, once he discovers the mansion on Sunset Boulevard, the film tonally shifts to reflect the past in its decayed form. The relationship between Joe and Norma is fraught with tension.
Norma’s micromanagement and obsession with Joe’s work extend into his private life as he recaptures his talent with Betty, played by Nancy Olsen, an aspiring screenwriter working for Paramount Studios, collaborating to create the ultimate screenplay. At this point, Joe’s slang and laid-back demeanor have evaporated, and a more sophisticated, intelligent Mr. Gillis has formed.
Through Norma’s constant demand and aggression, Joe’s evolution has occurred to save his career. As the dialogue shifts, Norma’s control over Joe becomes more absolute. She’s the ultimate femme fatale. He is the only thing she has had since her adoration as a silent film star.
At this stage in the film, Norma realizes Joe’s waning obedience and decides to murder him. The aging star finally receives her wish to see the spotlight after dozens of cameras and press flood her house hours later. Norma’s sheer obsession for attention consumed her enough to commit murder. The climax of her thirst for adoration, her ultimate form of narcissism, led to Joe’s death so she could achieve a remnant of that former glory, the Sydney Sweeney of her time.
Unlike Norma, Joe manages to reverse his fate. Norma, on the other hand, had become too famous to realize her faults. She represents the greatest form of narcissism, a magnet that tethers anyone susceptible.
Consider the scene in which Norma visits a studio set and is recognized by a swath of older workers who swarm her, eager to be known and loved by her. While at her prime, everyone viewed her with that same sense of longing and attachment, similar to the maternal bond formed with a child.
She completed them, and they completed her.
Separate either of these essential components from each other, and a fractured personality develops. With a woman as damaged as Norma Desmond, poor Joe never had a chance.
Killian Netherton is an english and psychology sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.
