Sunset Boulevard Flashcards
qoute
‘Don’t you sometimes ________ yourself’
‘___________’
(Manipulation and deceit/Gender roles/Cost of sacrificing integrity/lure of fame and riches)
‘Don’t you sometimes hate yourself’
‘Constantly’
-lack of trust within himself/difficult to open up and express himself
-Deeper meaning of self loathing/low self esteem
-due to staying and relising he’s been manipulated by Norma
-audience sympathsises with him and appreciates his struggle
qoute/ statically characterised
“I’m not just selling the script. I’m ________. DeMille ________ said I was his _______.”
‘You see, this is ____ life. It ____
will be’
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
“I’m not just selling the script. I’m selling me. DeMille always said I was his greatest star.”
‘You see, this is my life. It always
will be’
- This highlights Norma’s inability to separate her self-worth from her career, reinforcing the theme of identity and Hollywood’s superficiality.
- Repetition of ‘I’ → sees only her self in the equation
- her life evolving around cameras and lights vigorously depict Norma’s inability to separate her self-worth from her bygone career solidifying that her delusions remain intact despite her complete descent into madness.
- Norma’s refusal to change ensures her inevitable self-destruction, as she is unable to exist outside the illusion of her former stardom.
- Thus, Wilder suggests that while illusions can offer temporary escape, they eventually crumble under the weight of reality.
qoute
“I am ____. It’s the ____ that got ____.”
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
“I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.”
- Norma’s narcissism
- inability to accept that Hollywood has moved on.
- refuses to acknowledge her diminished relevance, blaming the industry rather than herself.
- indicates her refusal to acknowledge the changes in society which she is blindsighted by her delusions and the inability to accept reality in which she inflicts onto others she is surrounded by.
- reflects real-life silent film stars who struggled when talkies became dominant (context)
shot analysis/mise en scene
coordinating colours (joe and betty) and wearing flowers in attaire (Joe, a physical flower attached to his tuxedo and an engraved flower in the brioche of Betty’s dress, which both are positioned near the heart)
positives of Hollywood
(Love, relationships)
- emphasise the intimacy and closeness of both the characters-Joe and Betty- through their clothing
-The use of coordinating colours to match both the characters represents the duality and similarities in terms of their desire of ambition and success in the filmmaking industry. - The flower symbolises the expression of true feelings and emotions of love and care in the most elegant way, which indicates the degree of how far people are willing to go to assist and support those who ‘lost their touch’ in something they were previously passionate about.
- artie’s nye party
- array of close and medium shots
digestic sound
soundtrack ‘Button and Bows’ by Ray Evans
lyrics- *‘Hollywood for us ain’t been so good. Got no swimming pool, very few clothes. All we earn is buttons and bows’. *
positives of hollywood
- The lyrics depict how lowly filmmakers in Hollywood are marginalised yet strive through the delightful community of other low-ranked filmmakers in Hollywood allowing them to build self-confidence in their journey to success. juxaposed to norma’s party which is happening at the same time
- while buttons and bows are meant to beautify, they are ultimately worthless in an industry that only values youth and reinvention.
- artie’s nye party
characterisation
Artie
positives of hollywood
- Artie ejects the notion of not seeking validation through superficial means or industry approval.
- Artie remains content with his modest yet stable career as an assistant director, prioritising genuine relationships over Hollywood’s fleeting ideals of success.
- Through Artie’s character, Wilder suggests that those who reject the industry’s obsession with illusion and instead embrace authenticity are the ones who truly endure.
can also embed buttons and bows
characterisation/view and value/embedding of quotes
DeMille + Norma
bad of hollywood
(Hollywood/Nature of celebrity and the monstrosity it creates)
- highlight Hollywood’s tendency to discard aging stars while simultaneously allowing them to sustain harmful illusions.
- (embedding) By referring to Norma as a “sleepwalker,” DeMille suggests that confronting her with reality could be catastrophic, reflecting how the industry avoids directly dealing with those it has cast aside.
-Instead of acknowledging their past achievements, Hollywood simply moves on, leaving its former icons trapped in self-destruction (V/V)
characterisation/ view and value
DeMille
bad of Hollywood
(gender dynamics-age/Hollywood/Nature of celebrity and the monstrosity it creates)
- DeMille’s continued success in Hollywood highlights the industry’s gendered double standards, where men are valued for their experience and longevity, while women are treated as disposable objects of appeal.
- While DeMille remains a respected filmmaker, Norma is cast aside, reinforcing Wilder’s critique of Hollywood’s exploitation of female stars and its relentless pursuit of youth over talent.
shot analysis
Spotlight Scene + Norma
ending of film
- Norma is valued when put on display but people tend to quickly move on.
- This incident critiques how the commerated industry’s tendency to discard its ageing stars while sustaining their delusions, destroying their mental wellbeing in the prolonged period.
- high angle, wide shot
- Paramount Studio
characterisation/shot analysis
DeMille+ Spotlight scene
ending of film
(Hollywood/Nature of celebrity)
- DeMille instructed the crew to turn off the spotlight
- DeMille symbolically reinforces Hollywood’s gatekeeping power, ensuring that Norma remains unseen in an industry that has already moved past her.
- This moment encapsulates Hollywood’s fleeting recognition of aging stars—acknowledging them only for nostalgia before swiftly discarding them again.
link to other spotlight scene
digestic sounds/shot analysis
Opening credits + Franz Waxman’s score
(glorification of fame/Hollywood)
- cast names fade quickly over the dark, dirty road of Sunset Boulevard
- deep trombone followed by high-pitched flutes
- The fading names signify the fleeting nature of fame, while the contrasting music indicates the tension between the allure of stardom and its evitable decay, emphasising how Hollywood discards its stars once they loose appeal.
- This visually implies that the workers behind Hollywood’s
success are not appreciated. They’re figuratively dragged through the mud, signifying a lack
of respect for the people who keep the machine running.
quote
‘lovely ____ of 17 with more ____ and ____ and ____’
‘a ________ old’
said by DeMille
(glorification of fame/hollywood/manipulate and decit)
‘lovely little girl of 17 with more courage and wit and heart’
‘a million years old’
juxaposition
- Wilder uses juxtaposition to frame Hollywood’s cruel cycle of elevating young stars only to discard them once they are deemed too old.
- Hence, Norma’s fall into a distorted fantasy is not solely her fault but the result of society that natures stars only to abandon them when they no longer fit their standards.
shot analysis
posing on the staircase when decending- image faded with paramount std logo
downfall (pycshological)/hollywood
final scene
- Wilder exposes how the reason why Hollywood keeps well known young stars is due to remain profitable, but once ignored by society, they are discarded and replaced disrupting those individuals’ psychological downfall.
- Hence, Wilder depicts the struggle of those who have been tragically removed and replaced from what makes them human and loved is drowned with loss and fear which is consumed by their obsession to be who they previously were.
qoute
‘____’ ‘how ____ ____ writing’
said by Joe, Norma’s script
(hollywood-bad)
‘interesting’ ‘how bad bad writing’
- Screenwriters and filmmakers in the Hollywood industry are presented in a cynical form
- portray Hollywood’s trend of prioritising spectacle over storytelling which further emphasises how screenwriters are undervalued but abandoned their own artistic aspirations, for an industry purely focusing on mass transactions.
- Hence, Wilder criticises Hollywood’s continuous favor of sequels, reboots, and market-tested narratives over originality, reinforcing the industry’s self-delusion that it values creativity while perpetuating creative stagnation.
metacasting
Max
relationships/hollywood/conform
- played by Erich von Stroheim- a real silent film director known for clashing with Hollywood and saw his career fade, just like Max, a former director.
- This casting showcases the authenticity of Hollywood as it illustrates that even the most visionary artists can be forgotten if they fail to conform to Hollywood’s toxic normsailure to adapt to industrial changes
- This reveals Max’s role as an ex-director of Hollywood, but instead of now directing
films, he directs the aspects of Norma’s life, feeding into her delusions.
characterisation/ mise en scene
sheldrake
(hollywood-bad)
- The setting of Sheldrake’s office—filled with scripts, awards, and film memorabilia—visually reinforces the transactional nature of Hollywood and the power imbalance between executives and writers.
qoute/allusion
‘So they tell the ____ to throw the
____ ____, or else, huh?’/ Bases Loaded pitch
said by sheldarke to joe (qoute)
Hollywood/power imbalance
‘So they tell the kid to throw the
World Series, or else, huh?’
allusion- metafictional commentary on his own predicament.
- During Joe’s pitch for ‘Bases Loaded’
- Sheldrake (barely engages with the story) reduces the pitch to a blunt cliche of ‘the kid to [be thrown]’ into the ‘World Series?’ underscores Hollywood’s preference for formulaic, profitable stories over unique, thought-provoking narratives.
- Wilder’s usage of the word ‘kid’ implies Sheldrake perceives Joe—or screenwriters in general—as expendable and insignificant, reinforcing the power imbalance between executives and creative workers.
- The irony of Joe’s failed pitch is that he is, in essence, writing about his own struggles—trapped in a system that forces him to conform rather than create freely.
- Thus, Wilder critiques industries that have a profit driven ideology that stifles individual expression as it forces those individuals to devalue an aspect of themselves.
context
transitioning silent film to talkies and its impacts on those actors in the 1920s
embed into paragraph
(Hollywood/demise)
- When Hollywood was transitioning to the ‘talkies’ in the mid 1920s, numerous silent film actors like Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson, and H.B. Warner- casted in Sunset Boulevard as ‘wax workers’-were discarded and replaced by actors with voices.
- Much like Norma, those actors symbolise their exile from reality and the relics of a bygone era, clinging to their past relevance rather than adapting to Hollywood’s evolution.
digectic sound/musical motif
off-kilter tango (nye norma party)
(delusion and illusion)
Franz Waxman
- high angle wide shot during Norma’s New Year’s Eve party.
- A classical 1920s off-kilter tango plays as she romantically dances with Joe, clinging to the past.
- The musical motif, conveyed through a solo alto flute mysterioso and low, pulsating string notes, reflects Norma’s psychological instability, reinforcing how she is trapped in a fabricated reality where she still believes in her stardom.
- The tango, a dance traditionally associated with passion, control, and nostalgia, ironically underscores her inability to move forward, as she remains fixated on a Hollywood that has long abandoned her.
symblolism
the pool +rats
(hollywood/demise)
- reflect the decay of Norma’s acting career.
- The deliberate use of rats at the bottom of the pool emphasises how Hollywood is the exploitative force that has deteriorated Norma’s life.
- Thus, Wilder critiques Hollywood’s relentless cycle of reinvention and abandonment, exposing how the industry manufactures illusions of fame only to discard those who can no longer serve its evolving standards, leaving them trapped in self-destructive delusions
qoute
‘the ____ turned out to be a ____ ____’
Joe dead in pool, he always desired the pool
(manipulation/fame/hollywood)
‘the price turned out to be a little high’
- Joe’s final narration
- implying the criticism of Norma’s deceptive promises where he attains material success, but only in death, reinforcing how Hollywood lures individuals with dreams it ultimately strips away.
- This bits the theme of shattered Hollywood dreams. Joe achieves his materialistic goal—owning a pool—but at the cost of his life.
- Through Joe’s demise, Wilder condemns both blind devotion and passive complicity, revealing that in an industry built on illusion, even those who recognize its toxicity cannot escape its consequences.
allusion/mise en scene
The Young Lions novel
(illusions and delusions)
- the director subtly reinforces his critique of Norma’s toxic illusions through (ADD ELEMENTS) Joe’s reading of The Young Lions-
- a novel that explores disillusionment, blind allegiance, and self-destruction.
- As Joe reads, Norma undergoes surgery in a desperate attempt to reclaim her youth and stardom, mirroring Christian Diestl’s self-destructive pursuit of Nazi ideology in The Young Lions.
- This foreshadows Joe’s impending downfall as in the novel, one of the protagonists, Noah Ackerman, a Jewish soldier, is beaten to death by fellow American soldiers due to someone else’s beliefs and inability to see past their ideology.
- This serves as a chilling parallel to Joe’s own fate at the hands of Norma—though Joe is not blinded by Hollywood’s illusions in the same way Norma is, his passive complicity in her delusion ultimately seals his doom.
qoutes
who is this character?
‘ambition to succeed’, ‘interested in work’ and has the desire to ‘change’ Hollywood
rebuttal, overcoming struggles not conforming
Betty!
characterisation
Betty
rebuttal
- represents a pragmatic and adaptable approach to success, demonstrating that true survival in Hollywood demands innovation and a willingness to challenge industry conventions rather than conform to them, unlike Norma who conforms
chiaroscuro lighting/qoute
Betty + ‘didn’t like my ____’
overcoming struggles/anticonformist
- Wilder establishes Betty’s determination and purity by subtly hitting soft lighting on her face when she mentions to Joe that she had to physically change her nose to pursue acting but Hollywood ‘didn’t like [her] acting’ to reinforce her genuine ambition and moral clarity in an industry that prioritises image over talent. OR
- Wilder establishes Betty’s determination and purity by subtly hitting soft lighting on her face highlighting the big dilated pupils as she conveys her love for the Hollywood industry, reinforcing her genuine ambition and moral clarity to move forth and find success within an industry that has some varying complexities as it develops.
- Ultimately, Wilder presents Betty as a rare figure of authenticity and perseverance, suggesting that while Hollywood fosters illusions, true success belongs to those who reject superficiality and embrace meaningful artistic contribution
- while Norma is repeatedly obscured by harsh chiaroscuro, indexing her entrapment within self-delusion.
‘didn’t like my acting’
charactonym
Norma
reality vs illusion
means rule, model, standard, norm.
conflicts with her true persona
charactonym
Max von Mayerling
Erich von Stroheim
(downfall)
- The story of the double suicide of the Crown Prince and his young mistress at the Mayerling hunting lodge mirroring Max’s self-sacrificial devotion to Norma.
- actor, histrion, player, role player, thespian. a theatrical performer.
minor characters
Perc Launders
defeating nature of Hollywood
- During Norma’s New Years Party only one of the three performers of the band- Perc Launders, a usual background character- is credited at the end of the film.
- Complementary with the sickening ideology of exile, Wilder showcases the fleeting nature of fame, valuing those with a whose name has prestigious value, others are ignored.
can add with the opening credits OR norma final scence
symbloism
the mansion
Norma, entrappment
decay of hollywood and fame
- Norma’s mansion is made to be seen as an imperial palace,
- through the arrays of wide and medium shots,
- personifies herself
- the mansion displays itself as a rotting corpse accentuated with the mise-en-scene of dying trees and outgrown weeds which crafts the impression of society moving away from the decaying entertainment of silent films which is juxtaposed with
- Norma’s raving mentality, throughout the film, of pictures ‘still [being] wonderful’.
qoute
‘If I ____ my
____ it’s like having my ____ out off’
loss of autonomy/individuality
‘If I lose my
car it’s like having my legs out off.’
- Joe’s character as someone that is quick witted and intelligent yet remarks QOUTE
- highlighting how Joe equates personal success to personal freedom, indicating the nadir of a career is compromised with a failure of mobility and status.
- That Joe was unwilling to lose his car demonstrates his unwillingness to lose his independence and sacrifice his freedom. In an ironic twist, it is the car itself that causes him to lose both of these things
- The disturbing removal of his car serves to symbolise the removal of his agency and highlights Norma‟s increasing madness and paranoia.
symblolism
Joe’s car
pursuit of fame
illusion/hollywood
embody Joe’s self-implosion, arguing how the pursuit of fame traps individuals in the very illusions they once chased- its monetary scale foreshadowed in the wide shot scene of Joe fleeing from Norma, but eventually is murdered by her;
digetic sounds
Franz Waxman’s leitmotifs in the car chase
downfall/hollywood
joe
Joe tries to flee from Norma but Norma eventually murders him; the music being played a torturous, slow-motion version of the opening car chase theme. Hence, the musical repetition of Joe’s opening car chase theme signifies how it foreshadows the tragic ending that he faces as he continues to chase the unattainable dream of Hollywood. Thus, Wilder uses his film to capture ambition as both a source of hope and catalyst for downfall.
qoute
‘____ as it may seem. I
could have gone on with my career,
only I found everything ____ after she divorced me.’
self destruction
said by Max
‘humiliating as it may seem. I
could have gone on witn my career,
only I found everything unendur-
able arter she divorced me.’
- Max’s internal self demise is depicted in his heartfelt confession
- repetition of ‘I’ –> presents his self-imposed entrapment and complete loss of identity, framing himself as an agent of his own choices, yet his hinders his words to reveal that he willingly sacrificed his autonomy for Norma
qoute
’ “She never will. That is ____ ____.
It has been for a ____ ____.’
(self destruction/Deception & Illusion vs. Reality)
said by Max
‘“She never will. That is my job.
It has been for a long time.’
- connect with the repetition of ‘I’ qoute
- Max’s unwavering devotion to Norma perpetuates her illusions, showcasing how deception fuels Hollywood’s fantasies.
- Through this repetition, Wilder underscores how delusion is not exclusive to particular individuals but extends to those who enable it, portraying that self-destruction is not always forced but sometimes tragically chosen.
characterisation
DeMille
good of hollywood
- represents the transition from silent films to modern cinema of Hollywood, he is able to comprehend the societal changes and expectations despite his old age, which Norma is unable to do.
- Wilder shames those who refuse to put aside their stardom in hopes for genuine change.
shot analysis/mise en scene
clothing of the filmmakers and assistances
stagnation and evolution of hollywood
good of hollywood
- The contrast in DeMille’s aspirations of commercially successful films and Noma’s fixation on the past pictures is displayed in the scene where Norma interrupts DeMille’s directing on a big-budget film being produced.
- From the light expressionless clothing of the actors and the filmmakers to Norma’s extravagant attire reveals the stark contrast between stagnation and evolution.
symbloism
chimpanzee
foreshadowing/ victim of control
manipulatation- death of chimp, signifies the death of Joe’s autonomy
- represents Norma’s attachment to the death of her fame and lost stardom, and even at death, Norma’s decisions remain vital.
- Represents the death of old Hollywood—Norma’s era is gone, just like the dead chimp
- The decision of choosing the ‘burial clothing’ of the chimp signifies the controlled lifestyle the chimp lived, foreshadowing the destruction of Joe’s life once in Norma’s grasp.
- Her treatment of the chimp as if it were her child highlights her eccentricity and attachment to the past.
- moral lessons for human society (contridiction)
chiaroscuro lighting/mise en scene
Norma buying Joe new clothes
desire for fame/downfall
- the attire that Norma selects for Joe, is dark and congestive, while previously he wore clothing that was light and cheerful.
- This stark contrast in attire, immediately affecting the lighting displayed on Joe- soft lighting to harsh lighting- the shift in chiaroscuro lighting amplifies the shift in the level of freedom possessed by Joe initially.
characterisation/setting/shot analysis/psoitioning
Morino- the agent
struggle of writers
- embodies the industry’s indifference toward struggling writers.
- The establishment of the stark power imbalance is set on the golf course, Morino leisurely playing golf while Joe desperately seeks financial assistance.
- The mix of a medium and two shots visually suggests the divide between those who control the industry and those who are exploited by it. producing a clear differentaation between the twoo characters
- The director purposefully positions Moriono to tower over Joe while discussing his financial struggles accentuates the class hierarchy between agent and writer, portraying how the industry values profit over artistic integrity.
extreme close up shots
Norma’s face
refusal to move on from lost stardom
- heavy makeup, expressive eyes, and theatrical movements depict her as trapped in an outdated style of acting.
diegetic sounds
‘waxworkers’
struggle to keep up with reality
- The muted and solemn music underscores the tragic irony of these once-revered stars, now reduced to relics of a bygone era
- The slow, atmospheric melody highlights their disconnection from modern Hollywood, emphasising how their individuality is determined by profit and being on screen.
add the context of this to this evidence
camera angle
‘waxworkers’
struggling to adpat to a new world
- Wilder displays the minute significance of these actors in a new Hollywood where ‘pictures should say a little something’ by zooming into the actors’ hand movement whilst playing bridge, through a high angle medium shot.
- Connoting that those faces, previously glamorised and prised- no longer have the same prestige, indicating that their presence in society has little to no value in Hollywood.
- Hence, the director asserts that society has taken control of celebrities’ lives, dictating their self worth and autonomy through a hidden lens.
add with the previous one
mise en scene
leopard print accessories and clothing which was designed by Edith Head.
manipulaation and decit
It symbolises Norma’s predatory nature - entrapping and using Joe like puppets for her selfish motives and desires, viewing him as ‘monkey dancing for [her] pennies’ rather than his true persona.
shot analysis
Joe returning to the mansion after visiting Betty
gender norms
Wilder uses a low angle wide-two shot to communicate the relationship between Joe and Norma. By positioning Norma on a higher level and glaring down upon Joe’s arrival, suggests that Norma has overpowering control and strength of Joe’s actions and behaviour.
qoute
‘I didn’t ____ with her.
You don’t yell at a
____’
joe to norma
‘I didn’t argue with her.
You don’t yell at a
sleepwalker’
- one word quote
- someone who is oblivious, not encountering a world that exists around them .
- ppl who are living this way, ppl around her choose not to bring her back to reality. WHY? lost of their fame and fortune
- Joe’s advice to not wake a sleepwalker- wrong thing to do in this reality, hence he becomes dead. (foreshadowing his death)
- Recognizes she is mentally, socially, and physically detached from reality.
qoute
“Have they ____ what a ____ looks like? ____ show them. ____ be up there again. So help me!”
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
Norma when she meets and gets Joe to stay with her
‘Have they forgotten what a star looks like? I’ll show them. I’ll be up there again. So help me!’
- Norma’s self-delusion and obsession with past stardom are evident. Her inability to accept the changing film industry reflects the illusion of Hollywood’s timeless glamour.
qoute
“Great ____ have great ____.”
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
when she uses his razor to slit her wrist (revengance)
“Great stars have great pride.”
- Norma clings to an outdated concept of celebrity, equating fame with eternal reverence, refusing to acknowledge Hollywood’s transient nature.
- makes joe feel guilty for going to artie’s nye party
qoute
“30 ____ ____ have given her the brush, isn’t that enough?”
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
hollywood, Joe says this
“30 million fans have given her the brush, isn’t that enough?”
- joe cynically acknowledges the brutal reality of Hollywood: stars are disposable, no matter their past success.
qoute
“A ____ press agents working ____ can do ____ things to the ____ ____.”
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
said by Demille
“A dozen press agents working overtime can do terrible things to the human spirit.”
- Hollywood’s manufactured stardom.
- This suggests that Norma’s delusions weren’t entirely self-inflicted but rather the product of an industry that builds stars up, only to discard them.
- Demille manouvers Norma’s reality
digectic sounds
Music and Norma’s cries
(Superficial Celebrity Identity & Hollywood’s Illusions)
when she uses his razor to slit her wrist (revengance)
As the non-diegetic sound of upbeat music drown out Norma’s cries Wilder is able to criticise stars who are unable to deal with hard situations without exacerbating it with their melodramatic tendencies.
link to the qoute great stars have great pride
shot analysis
Norma and her photographs
obession and crazy desire
In the morning after Joe meets Norma, Wilder uses a wide shot of Norma sprawled out on her couch while surrounded by several photographs of her younger self. The use of the set dressing of the multiple photographs emphasises her obsessive nature as it reflects her distorted sense of self.
Hard lighting
what does hard lighting do?
strong, focused light source that produces distinct and clearly defined shadows with sharp edges.
examples:
- Joe starts to live and adpat to Norma’s life style
- when characters are in despair
symblolism
norma’s cigar
delusion
Norma is seen using the cigarette holder as a way to maintain a sense of poise and dignity, even as her life becomes increasingly tragic and delusional
digectic sounds
Joe’s music beginning of the film
franz waxman
inititally, Joe’s theme is characterised by bebop, (jazz-style music for the 1950s urbanite youth) conveying his nonchalant and breezy attitude with prominent saxophonic tunes.
juxapostion
digetic sounds
Love theme between Betty and Joe
relationships
being played as the pair are working away on their own script in a deserted studio and when they take a stroll through the studio backlot; the music accompaniment is a tender and lyrical string line, with a muted solo trumpet.
digectic sounds
final scene of norma in the film
impact of hollywood
- Norma prepares for her ending close-up and she descends the staircase into a complete state of megalomania - the music shares the harmony of the tango theme but is transformed into a distorted parody.
- Through the bombardment of notes, alternation of tremolos (reiteration of notes) and the use of dramatic chromaticism (interspersing of obscure chords) it represents the dramatic changes in emotion and the deterioration of Norma’s mental sanity in the finale.
qoute
“____ ____ leaves a ____. That makes one a ____.”
before joe gets killed
“No one leaves a star. That makes one a star.”
- Norma’s possessiveness over Joe extends to a belief in the hierarchical power of celebrity, equating love and dominance.
qoute
“____was the only other person in that ____ Sunset ____.”
Control & Power
“Max was the only other person in that grim Sunset castle.”
juxaposition- castle and actual living standards
- The word “castle” implies isolation and imprisonment, reinforcing Norma’s dominion over her home and those within it.
qoute
“Norma, ____ ____. You’re a woman of ____. There’s ____ ____ about being ____ – not unless you try to be ____-____.”
(gender norms)
Control & Power
“Norma, grow up. You’re a woman of fifty. There’s nothing tragic about being fifty – not unless you try to be twenty-five.”
- Joe Gillis confronts Norma with the truth she refuses to accept. In an industry that values youth, Norma’s fear of aging translates into a desperate need for control.
- aggitated tone
qoute
“You must ____ I ____ her when she was ____. I made her a ____. I cannot let her be ____.
said by Max
Control & Power
“You must understand I discovered her when she was eighteen. I made her a star. I cannot let her be destroyed.
- Max Von Mayerling devotion to Norma underscores the depth of his control over her life. His identity is so intertwined with hers that he sacrifices his own career and dignity to sustain her illusions.
- repetition of ‘I’
qoute
‘Get Gordon Cole. Tell him to ____
about her car. He can find another
old car. I’ll buy him ____ old cars,
if necessary’
said by demille
Control & Power
‘Get Gordon Cole. Tell him to forget
about her car. He can find another
old car. I’ll buy him five old cars,
if necessary.’
- DeMille does not intend to deceive Norma maliciously, but his reluctance to tell her the truth reveals Hollywood’s patronizing attitude toward its discarded stars.
- DeMille’s casual willingness to replace it with “five old cars” suggests how easily Hollywood replaces its stars once they are no longer profitable.
- Hollywood appears nostalgic for its past legends, but in reality, it discards them. DeMille’s decision to let Norma keep her illusion rather than tell her the truth reflects this superficial concern.
qoute
“I ____ you, ____’’ repeated twice more
Love, Infatuation, and Narcissism
said by Norma after sliting her wirst
“I love you, Joe.’’
- Norma’s obsessive love for Joe is more about possession than genuine affection, echoing her need for validation. She views him as a symbol of youth and control rather than as an equal partner.
- manipulation, making him feel guilty
qoute
‘To ____ in ____ with ____ – that
was the ____ thing.’
Love, Infatuation, and Narcissism
‘To fall in love with you – that
was the idiotic thing.’
- Norma Desmond reveals that she recognizes the self-destructive nature of her emotions, but she is too consumed by them to change course.
- classifies her relationship with joe as smthing material, thing not genuine feelings
symblosim
mansion + Norma
- the grand scope of Norma‟s mansion and the grandiose, though fading, opulence of the interior is testament to her earlier stardom.
- the dilapidated and deteriorating exterior symbolises Norma’s declining fame and relevance.
qoutes
‘great ____ ____
____ of a place.’
‘A ____ house gets an ____ look’
abt the mansion
‘great big white elephant of a place.’
‘A neglected house gets an unhappy look’
- initial appearance of both norma and the house
- The mansion mirrors Norma’s decay rotten grandeur of old Hollywood. It’s both a physical and psychological prison.
- negleted by both demille and joe
mise en scene
norma’s turban
eidth head’s costume desgin
youth, norma, psychological
- The turban was a fashion staple of silent film stars, reinforcing her association with a bygone era. The way it obscures her face reflects how Norma tries to conceal the passage of time and preserve her youthful image.
- She fixes her outfit with a veil before going to Paramount, reflecting her
attempt to maintain her illusion of fame and youth.
qoute
‘____ ____, Norma. You’d be ____
yourself to an ____ house. The
____ left ____ years ago.
Now ____ it.’
(Deception & Illusion vs. Reality)
‘Wake up, Norma. You’d be killing
yourself to an empty house. The
audience left twenty years ago.
Now face it.’
- Joe delivers the brutal truth: Norma’s world is built on self-delusion, and her fans are long gone.
- Joe says this in an annoyed arrongant tone
- the wake up bit, referance to her being a sleepwalker
qoute
‘And we’re not ____ her any, ____ her ____ and
more ____.’
(Deception & Illusion vs. Reality)
joe talking to max
‘And we’re not help-
ing her any, feeding her lies and
more lies.’
- max is the enabler in Norma’s delusions
- Max writes the fan letters and send her autographs for norma to believe that she is still releavant
- Joe part of the fantsay that Norma made
themes
how is deception found in the film?
- Sunset Boulvard is set in the cutthroat world of Hollywood where illusion and falsehoods thrive.
- Paramount Studios- the final scene, change from norma to the logo
- characters like norma (manipulates joe, results in her mentality dying, joe (manipulates both betty and norma abt his identity, he dies), betty (doesn’t explicitly decive artie, but cheats on him, rejected by joe, emotionally dead), max (mainpulates norma’s stardom, mentality and emtionally dead)
Every character engages in deception, varying in motivation and extent.
theme
how is the theme Illusion vs. Reality potrayed in the film?
- The film exposes Hollywood’s facade—what appears glamorous hides a dark reality.
- The interplay between illusion and reality is reinforced by setting (mansion, interoir of the mansion, norma doesnt go outside often), characterisation (demille, max) , and cinematography (lighting on norma, shadows on her face, contrasting clours).
theme
explain The Cost of Fame and Wealth within the film
- Hollywood is portrayed as a “factory of dreams” that ultimately shatters those who enter.
- Joe enters Hollywood seeking success but instead becomes trapped in Norma’s world, symbolising the dangers of chasing wealth and fame.
- His tragic end reinforces the idea that success in Hollywood often comes at too high a price.
- characters, norma, joe, sheldrake
franz waxman/allusion/digectic sounds
why did he give norma that tango leitmotif theme?
Norma’s tango leitmotif directly relates to Rudolph Valentino, as she explicitly associates herself with him, recalling their past encounters at Hollywood parties. Valentino, a silent film icon known for his seductive, tango-infused performances, symbolizes Norma’s longing for a time when she was admired and relevant. By giving her a distorted version of a 1920s tango—one of Valentino’s signature dances—Waxman reinforces her inability to move on from that era, further emphasizing her psychological deterioration.
context/symblosim
the pool
- The swimming pool itself is a symbol of wealth and opulence.
- Concrete swimming pools were uncommon at this time and even less common in the 1920s when Norma‟s mansion was built.
- The swimming pool is, therefore, a status symbol, a flashy signal to others regarding one‟s level of fame and wealth.
structure of film
circular narrative
- Wilder‟s decision to have Joe‟s body floating in the swimming pool at both the beginning and end of the film implies that fame and glamour are short-lived at best and deadly at the worst.
- critiques the audience as its their desire for scandanl and rumour to happen in hollywood
- low angle shot- : Taken under Joe’s lifeless body, showing his limp limb and gaping mouth.
- The columnists loom over him, cameras flashing, symbolizing Hollywood’s exploitation of
death and scandal for profit.
symblosim
Mirrors and Self-Image (portairts)
norma
- entire mansion (interior) surronded by her pictures
- Mirrors reinforce: Her narcissism and fear of aging and Her silent film era roots—expression and appearance define her identity.
- selfish and self obessed
- traditionally,mirrors serves as a powerful emblem of truth, often used to represent self-awareness, honesty, and the unfiltered realities of life. The mirror’s symbolism of truth can be traced back to ancient civilizations which condricts norma’s reason for having them- to believe she is still young
qoute
‘____ eyes’
“Her ____ are like
two ____ ____, where
____ ____ come to drink.”
obession with youth/ old hollywood/ reality vs illusion
‘pale eyes’
“Her eyes are like
two moonlit waterholes, where
strange animals come to drink.”
juxaposition
- the stange animals is the audience, many of them yet no one noes who they rlly are and what their intentions are
- norma = entertainment
- the pale eyes are dying, nothing, hollow that what she was currently, but in her illusions they are moonlit and bright
symbloslim
Doors without locks
-
There are no locks on any of the doors in Norma‟s mansion. When Joe questions Max about this, Max explains Norma‟s multiple suicide attempts: „
- She has moments of melancholy. There have been some suicide attempts‟.
- The removal of the locks on the doors symbolises a removal of Norma‟s agency as well as suggesting, despite her delusion, that she has some element of self-awareness.
- Her suicide attempts suggest a break in her delusion that she is still a star and are a sad reminder of what can happen to Hollywood heroes when fame deserts them.
allusion
Miss Havisham’s House – Great Expectations
- Like Miss Havisham, Norma is trapped in the past, reliving her former glory while the world moves on.
- Both Norma and Miss Havisham live in decaying homes, symbolizing their deteriorating mental states and lost relevance.
- Joe compares Norma’s mansion to Miss Havisham’s house in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
qoute
‘Hmph’, ‘Audiences
don’t know somebody sits
down and writes a picture.’
‘Hmph’, ‘Audiences
don’t know somebody sits
down and writes a picture.’
- Joe is frustrated (tone) that screenwriters are overlooked.
- scene in his apartment, in a robe papers everywhere, cigar next to him
- This is a meta-commentary on Hollywood undervaluing writers, even though they craft the stories.
- It reflects Billy Wilder’s own experiences in the industry.
allusion/chiaroscuro lighting
Queen Kelly
- made with erich (max)
- gloria (norma) main star- plays kitty kelly
- Queen Kelly was unfinished and represented Swanson’s career decline, mirroring Norma’s own failed comeback.
- norma snaps upwards, intruppts the projector, shows norma (when in the light/spotlight) wilder exemplifies norma’s desire to be who she was in the film, be back in the camera
mise en scene
massive portairt of young Norma while old norma is under it on couch
- camera zooms/drsws into the eyes of that portairt- eyes are staring into the camera
- old norma is being overshadowed by her former self
- living in the shadow of her fomer glory and cant get passed that.
film noir
norma being a femme fatal
isnt a traditionl femme as shes old and isn’t sideuctive, she plays that imge that hollywood desiresnot her
chiaroscuro lighting
sunset boulevard on the pavement
Bold, capitalized white lettering on a black background: The stark contrast between the
black and white (chiaroscuro) on the Sunset Boulevard’s sign, the film’s embodiment of
Hollywood, represents their dark morality. The black overwhelms the white, exemplifying
how Hollywood advertises fame and glory but is a trap to despair.
audience
Hollywood columnists magnetised to Joe’s death
They flock to the scene, twisting the
‘truth’ into a ‘rehash[ed]’ version for profit. Wilder criticizes the media’s willingness to distort
reality for sensationalism.
○ ’Blown out of proportion’
○ ’Distorted’
○ ‘Before those Hollywood columnists get their hands on it’
qoute
’Maybe they weren’t ____ enough. Maybe they were ____ original. All I know is, they
didn’t _____.’
’Maybe they weren’t original enough. Maybe they were too original. All I know is, they
didn’t sell.’
- This line shows the impossible standards Hollywood sets for its creatives. Joe
reflects on the films he has written, implying that originality isn’t valued unless it also
guarantees financial success.
qoute
Betty describes Joe as possessing ‘talent,’ but he responds, ‘That was last year’
This
exchange highlights how Hollywood destroys dreams, stripping away the magic of
filmmaking and reducing artists to survivalists. Joe’s response reveals his disillusionment.
symblosim
masion + The intricately welded cell-like gates to the mansion:
Convey a lavishly decorated ‘prison,’
representative of Norma’s facade which hides the grim truths under glamour and
sophistication. (gothic furniture, dark flooring)
○ Truths: ‘Dim figure’
mise en scene
Norma Desmonds
Norma is obsessed with who she was, and
who she believes she still is. The many heads are symbolic of Medusa and how they sculpt
her solid to be stagnant in a tainted reality.
qoute
‘____ himself with it’
‘Strangled himself with it’
- Refers to one of Norma’s fans killing himself with her stockings,
highlighting the obsessive and destructive nature of Hollywood’s influence.
Joe in introduced to Norma and her influence
lighting
JOE AND BETTY’S SCRIPTWORK
Simple but brightly lit workspace:
The contrast between this space and the dark, oppressive
mansion reflects the promise of a more hopeful, honest life for Joe with Betty.
○ ’It’s fun writing with you’: A rare moment of genuine connection and creativity for
Joe, contrasting sharply with his life with Norma.
qoute/location
‘I ____ into some ____ I ____.’ + Schwabs pharmacy
‘I ran into some people I knew.’
- his ppl-his community (belonging)
- communicates with betty and artie
characterisation
Jonesy, the Paramount Security Guard
gender norms
- old but still working unlike norma
- The minor character part of the younger guard represents new Hollywood: talking pictures, younger stars, new acting methods, and rapidly changing cinematography techniques. This new Hollywood does not recognize Norma as someone of value and just like the old guard Jonesy, she belongs to a past era along with black and white film and overly dramatic silent acting methods
- nce Norma receives the recognition of Jonesy, she falls deeper into her own fantasy land where the narrative of her life is front-page news, and she is still relevant to the public. This inner madness has been fed by Jonesy’s kind words and reveals what fame does to a person’s state of mind in stripping them of a grounded reality and seducing them into egotistical oblivion.
characteriaton
Giggling Girl-Telephone-Arties NYE party
- obstacle in the protagonist’s way.
- She fully ignores Joe’s urgent requests to use the phone, not even noticing Joe’s annoyance or need, too immersed in her fun with her friend. The scene itself is very humanizing because, while, yes, frustrating from Joe’s perspective, is very real to what could potentially be observed in reality.
- smthing that makes ppl grow and become successful, intruppeted betty and joe kiss, but their romantic tension grows
characterisation
Finance Collectors
drawbacks of hollywood
- The Finance collectors represent the danger and consequences that come from Joe’s setbacks as a writer.
characterisation
Police Captain
- He is formal, yet leaves room for Norma to give herself an alibi.
- Asking if she was the victim of theft or had taken part in a quarrel, as opposed to the accompanying officer who suggests Norma killed Joe out of hatred.
- This suggests that he holds either a respect or pity for Norma, wanting to give an excuse for her to latch onto. Unfortunately, nothing he says grabs Norma’s attention, suggesting that Norma is either so out of her mind that the world has fallen away around her, or that she simply doesn’t care about the consequences of her actions.
- The captain conveys a subtle ‘transitory attitude’ to his officers to help Norma willingly, albeit under false pretenses, to go downstairs, as to not tip Norma off that she’s being arrested instead of being in a fantasy, able to convey this in what she might perceive as simply a ‘insignificant gesture’.
- He symbolized the last person to vocally try to reach Norma as a person of sound mind, as well as being forced with the rest of the crowd to indulge in the last fantasy of Norma.
metacasting
Hedda Hopper
- a Hollywood gossip columnist, her real job, bringing realism and authentic people into a film filled with stories of manipulation and lies
- phoning the newspaper from inside Norma Desmond’s mansion, racing to be the first to break the news of the murder.
- single telephone line in the master bedroom to break the news of the murder, “Times City Desk? Hedda Hopper speaking. I’m talking from the bedroom of Norma Desmond. Don’t bother with a rewrite man. Take it direct. Ready? …proceeds to explain the situation in a form of a story
- Hedda Hopper does not fade into the background but captures audiences with her real-life gossip columnist attitude and cameo appearance.
critique on the audience.
