If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

A Masterpiece!

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Where to start? The genius of Billy Wilder as a director is well know. All his films are masterful in direction. To me that means not a shot out of place. From the beginning, Holden dead in the pool, shot from the bottom of the pool and narrated by the dead man was ground breaking and genius. The casting of Von Stroheim, Swanson, Webb, and of course Holden is perfect. The cameo with DeMille incredible. Maybe its because I am a filmmaker myself that I get so much joy out of this film. I don't watch many films more than once but I just saw this again and couldn't pull myself away. The dialogue, cinematography, editing, sound and music are exacting, as a great film should be. I lived on Ivar in the 1970's I realize it was one block away from Holden's apartment. There is so much truth in this movie about the film industry and about life.

They don't make movies like this anymore. Great dialogue, well-rounded characters, excellent direction, a nice pace, and fantastic acting. I've never really followed Holden's career and I've never seen Swanson before in a movie, but these two are phenomenal.Holden is a hack writer, Joe Gillis, who literally stumbles upon washed up actress Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in her creepy mansion. They form a bond borne of both desperation and neediness. He needs money, she needs attention. Along the way, Joe meets Norma's butler/companion, Max, a fellow writer, Betty (Nancy Olson), and Joe's buddy, Artie (a pre-Dragnet Jack Webb).At first Joe sees this as a great way to get some money (his car is about to be repossessed). But as Norma slowly descends into madness, she starts pulling Joe with her. Ultimately, Norma completely loses her senses and Joe suffers for it. Holden and Swanson make the slow, painful descent completely believable. I'm sure there are other actors/actresses out there who could have pulled off these roles, but its hard to think of any. Holden is a smart aleck who makes jokes and writes dialogue with equal talent. Swanson is downright scary as the actress Hollywood wants to forget, but she refuses to let them off easy. She reminded me of that girlfriend who you break up with, but she refuses to accept it.I really loved the dialogue. Joe narrating the proceedings is an interesting quirk if you know the beginning of the movie (everything is told in flashbacks). The banter between the two is sometimes caring, sweet, and loving. Other times its harsh, angry and downright ugly. They both need each other, but being together is the worst thing for them.Hollywood has made some really great movies over the years. However, CGI, sex, and explosions have taken the place of great plots, dialogue and acting. Even though I was not born until 1966, I love these old movies. You just can't fake this kind of talent.

The influence and everlasting effect of Sunset Boulevard is beyond doubt. A film made about a starlet from a dead era, but the movies she starred in hadn't even been cold in the ground yet! The bold, brash lines, and of course, the undeniably dynamic and purely iconic acting of Gloria Swanson. This is a film where the supposed main character, in this case Joe Gillis, is just a backdrop, a segue into the true protagonist and star of the show, Norma Desmond. The lighting to show mood and tone, the snappy and emotional dialogue. Not many movies like Sunset Boulevard are both a hit when they come out and a classic more than 50 years after, but this film nails it on the head.

I really enjoyed this movie for what it stood for and represents. Swanson does an amazing job portraying a woman with personal issues. A timeless movie in my opinion.