Sunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard (1950) is one of the most famous films in the history of Hollywood, and perhaps no film better represents Hollywood's vision of itself. Billy Wilder collaborated on the screenplay with the very able Charles Brackett, and with D. M. Marshman Jr., who later joined the team. Together they created a film both allusive and literate, with Hollywood's worst excesses and neuroses laid out for all to see. After viewing Sunset Boulevard Louis B. Mayer exclaimed: "We should throw this Wilder out of town!" The New York Times, however, gave the movie a rave review, praising "that rare blend of pungent writing, expert acting, masterly direction, and unobtrusively artistic photography." The film was nominated for Best Picture, and Wilder won an Academy Award for Best Story and Best Screenplay. This facsimile edition of Sunset Boulevard makes it possible to get as much pleasure from reading the highly intelligent screenplay as from seeing the film. Jeffrey Meyers's introduction provides an intriguing array of background details about Wilder, the film's casting and production, and the lives of those connected to what has become a classic. |
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1ST ASSISTANT 1st Change SUNSET 2nd Change SUNSET Artie Green BEDROOM BETTY GILLIS Betty Schaefer Billy Wilder CAMERA champagne Change SUNSET BOULEVARD Charles Brackett cigarette dark DeMille DESMOND HOUSE DISSOLVE Double Indemnity driveway empty eyes face film Fred MacMurray garage GILLIS BETTY Gillis enters Gillis looks GILLIS Max GILLIS NORMA Gillis sits Gillis stands GILLIS Sure GILLIS VOICE girl glass going Gordon Cole HEAD OF HOMICIDE Hello Hog-eye Hollywood HOLMBY HILLS HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN Isotta-Fraschini Joe Gillis light LIVING ROOM Mack Sennett Madame MILLE Miss Desmond Miss Schaefer moves night NORMA AND GILLIS Norma Desmond OLD POLICEMAN Paramount PARAMOUNT STUDIO picture pool puts Salome scene SCHWAB'S DRUG STORE screen script SHELDRAKE shot staircase stairs star starts story studio SUNSET BOULEVARD 4-26-49 SUNSET BOULEVARD 7-19-49 SUNSET BOULEVARD GILLIS SUNSET BOULEVARD NORMA Swanson There's thing turns typewriter walks What's William Holden write