Joe Gills (William Holden) falls under the spell of silent movie queen Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in Paramount Pictures' 1950 film classic, Sunset Boulevard.

William Holden as struggling screenwriter Joe Gills is looking for a break in Hollywood. Director Billy Wilder lends him a helping hand, introducing him to former silent screen siren Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond in his 1950 masterpiece, Sunset Boulevard.

"You're Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big," an admiring Joe proclaims, setting the stage for "the poor dope's" downfall.

Sunset Boulevard History

Sunset Boulevard takes its name from the famous thoroughfare that runs through Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Since 1911, when the first motion picture studio opened its doors on Sunset, the boulevard has always been associated with film production.

During the Roaring Twenties, the movie industry ushered in a new prosperity. As a result, a number of lavish homes were constructed in the vicinity of Sunset Boulevard. By the 1940s, many of the old silent stars still lived in their opulent digs, but were no longer actively involved in the motion picture business.

Writer/director Billy Wilder began wondering how the old-timers lived today, now that "the parade had passed them by." Thus, Sunset Boulevard was born, the story of a has-been silent film actress reveling in her past glories.

Casting Possibilities

The producers had originally wanted Montgomery Clift as Joe Gillis. When he withdrew for personal reasons, the role was offered to Fred MacMurray, who declined, then to William Holden.

As for Norma Desmond, Wilder's first choice was the retired Greta Garbo, who simply wanted to be left alone. It was then shopped around to Mae West, Mary Pickford and Pola Negri. Finally, it came to Gloria Swanson, who had actually lived in regal splendor on Sunset Boulevard during her cinematic heyday of the 1920s and '30s.

Filming Locations

Budgeted at $1.752 million, Sunset Boulevard was filmed from April 11 to June 18, 1949. Various locales around Los Angeles were used, including the Alto-Nido Apartments on North Ivar Street in Hollywood and the world-famous Schwab's Drug Store.

Serving as Norma Desmond's gloomy mansion was the old William Jenkins place, built in 1924 at a then-staggering cost of $250,000. Because the house did not have a swimming pool (an integral part of the storyline), producers had to construct one.

Located at 3810 Wilshire Boulevard, the Jenkins house -- later acquired by the second Mrs. J. Paul Getty in a divorce settlement -- was demolished in 1957. The site is now occupied by the 22-story Getty Oil Building.

This Is Sunset Boulevard...

Narrated by Joe Gillis, Sunset Boulevard opens at the mansion of Norma Desmond, where a stiff is found floating in the swimming pool. The story now digresses, with Joe recounting the tragic events of the last six months.

Trying to escape a couple of repo men, Joe turns into a driveway off Sunset Boulevard. Here he meets former movie queen Norma Desmond and her German servant Max von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim). The two mistake Joe for a pet mortician, whom they have summoned in order to make final arrangements for Norma's dead chimpanzee.

Joe learns that Max is not only Norma's servant, chauffeuring her around in a classic Isotta-Fraschini automobile, but her ex-husband as well. In her prime, Max proudly states, Norma once received over 17,000 fan letters in one week.

Norma is planning a comeback, and offers down-on-his-luck Joe a job rewriting her Salome script. In time, Joe becomes financially dependent on Norma, jeopardizing his relationship with young, wholesome Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson).

Release

Prior to its official release on August 4, 1950, Sunset Boulevard received a private screening where it was viewed by various studio bigwigs and invited guests. MGM chief Louis B. Mayer was left aghast by the picture, subsequently lecturing Billy Wilder in front of a group of celebrities: "You have disgraced the industry that made and fed you. You should be tarred and feathered and run out of Hollywood."

Silent film actress Mae Murray, although not as strident, also voiced her displeasure with the film. "None of us floozies was that nuts," she said, commenting on the Norma Desmond character.

Reviews and Oscars

Time magazine loved Sunset Boulevard, calling it "Hollywood at its worst told by Hollywood at its best." Also praising the film was Look magazine, who hailed Gloria Swanson's performance as "brilliant and haunting." A nice touch in the movie, some critics noted, were cameo appearances by such Hollywood luminaries as Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and H.B. Warner.

Sunset Boulevard garnered eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Wilder), Best Actor (Holden), Best Actress (Swanson), Best Supporting Actor (von Stroheim) and Best Supporting Actress (Olson). The film's three Oscars came for Best Writing, Best Music and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration B&W.

"I am big. It's the pictures that got small."

You tell 'em, Norma...