Fun Fact: When Gloria Swanson finished Norma's final scene, the mad staircase descent, she burst into tears and the crew applauded. Even though it wasn't the last scene filmed, Billy Wilder threw a party for her as soon as the shot was finished.
Today I heard a interview with Billy wilder on TH-cam. He said it was filmed chronologically and that final scene was THE final scene. In another interview by Swanson herself, she said she started crying because she said that 12 weeks of filming where now over. She said she started crying and said, can we do it all over again? She was referring to the 12 weeks which she said was the longest she ever filmed and the best time she ever had. The entire crew loved her very much and treated her like Hollywood royalty.
@clarapilier she's legendary. The Oscars should have been beating down her door for that performance. She was an incredible actress. No one today compares.
I believe that Nic Cage would be best suited for the Norma role. It would slow him to go as over the top as he wants and still be believable in the context of the film.
Every time I think of the call from DeMille and everything Norma does to prepare for her “comeback” the more i think of Sarah Goldfarb and everything happening from the game show call in requiem for a dream. Total parallels.
I was blown away by Gloria Swanson in this movie when I first saw it a few years ago. It instantly became one of my favourite performances in film, she’s absolutely electric on this, simultaneously a spider and a vulnerable victim. She’s a powerhouse in this.
Well said and I couldn't agree more. On my first viewing, in my early 20s, the pool scene and Billy Wilder's direction quickly grabbed me, and I knew I would love it. And then, we get deeper and deeper into Swanson's performance, and it starts to completely entrance me, and she was perfectly cast for the character. She epitomizes the fusion of excellent writing and acting. It's nearly perfect. Her performance (and Holden is great too) combined with the genius of Billy Wilder, and by the end, I just had this cathartic feeling that you only have when the film has truly impacted you. I'm so grateful I was able to see a screening of it, too (my third viewing) at AFI Silver Theatre. It might be a top 15 film for me.
Nick Cage should play Norma. He’s always ready for his close up. Also, when you were talking about remakes, I was surprised you didn’t mention the stage musical. (By Andrew Lloyd Webber, btw.) It’s something special.
I've seen Sunset Boulevard probably 30 times and this video made me consider things that had never crossed my mind. Super smart and entertaining. I will say that I don't agree that Norma Desmond was a terrible person. I think she was a lonely, desperate, delusional person that wanted better for herself.
Another cameo you didn't mention was the character of the gossip columnist who shows up at the end: she was indeed a famous gossip columnist at the time and also played herself.
What I found most surprising on watching this film is how Gothic it is. The initial setup is the LA equivalent of the lost traveler turning up at the haunted castle. The production design completely echoes this idea. Norma Desmond might as well be a vampire.
Spot on - the mansion is filled with cobwebs, creepy photos, dead monkeys, and an organ that constantly drones, occasionally played by the taciturn butler. Comparing Norma to a Vampire is very smart. In the class I teach, one of the questions I make my students answer is if they think Norma is more like Medusa or Dracula.
Can't help but think of Carol Burnett and Tim Conway when I see this film. I also think that the monkey funeral scene isn't just surreal but a brilliant piece of foreshadowing. Joe is being told, "Hey, there's just been an opening to become Norma Desmond's monkey, but just know this is how they all end up."
Robin Williams’ nod to Norma’s final scene was both chilling and funny in Mrs. Doubtfire. *Daniel Hillard gets fitted for a mask* Daniel: “I feel like Gloria Swanson.” Frank: “You look like her mother.” Daniel: “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille!”
When the Broadway musical adaptation came out, it was first previewed in Los Angeles. My agent ran into Billy Wilder in Hollywood in Beverly Hills and asked him if he had seen it. Wilder shrugged and said “from a musical you can make a movie from a movie you can’t make a musical“
One of my favorites!… up there with Mildred Pierce, Letter to 3 Wives, From here to eternity, the best years of our lives, The Letter, postman Always Rings Twice with Lana Turner, Double Indemnity..
The fact everyone considers this a masterpiece, but was only on Cal's list! I vaguely remember seeing this as a child for the first time on TCM and thinking this was a horror movie because of that last shot, it terrified me, it haunts my dreams.
Best scene Norma watching an old silent movie, which in real life is the movie that ruined Gloria’s career with a quick cut to the butler, who in real life directed the movie that ruined Gloria’s career.
At the first showing on the big screen at a theatre somewhere out there on the dark and everyone in the business showed up - the movieveas over and the theatre fell silent! Not a whisper. Then all of a sudden, thunderous applause and standing ovation and lots of emotion sprang forth. Mary Pickford took off crying somewhere away from everyone, Barbara Stanywick knelt on her knees and keep swed the hem of Swanson's dress. Incredible story of that night.
To fully enjoy film, u need at least a basic education. This channel provides that 😊. When I was young, this film bored me. Now I fully appreciate it’s genius especially the writing … amazing screenplay and acting
This is my actual number 1 favourite film ❤ sooooo good, the moment where Norma wails that she do it again and auld lang synes kicks in I burst out laughing in a completely quiet cinema!
Forget about Max, Cage is clearly Norma Desmond (Norm, in this case). But that's the only character being sex-swapped. Max is his butler and ex-husband, later to be revealed that they tried to keep it secret so that Norm could still get those straight male lead roles back when he was still relevant.
‘Gloria Swanson should have won’ Yes.. but don’t forget Bette Davis was up for All About Eve and she lost too! The vote was split and Judy Holliday took it.
I think Gloria and Bette both lost mostly because they didn't have a studio contract at the time. Probably why Barbara Stanwyck never won. The studios had a lot of sway in convincing people who to vote for. Bette also had the problem that Ann Baxter was nominated as well for Eve though I don't see anybody voting for her over Bette. This is one year where there should've been ties or multiple awards because Bette and Gloria both deserved the Oscar and certainly Joseph Mankiewicz for the screenplay for Eve.
While I think Sunset Boulevard should’ve won many more awards, it was up against All About Eve who still holds the record (along with two others) for most nominations with 14. While I think Sunset Boulevard is the better movie, I believe All About Eve has the best movie script ever written. Both movies has some of the best wicked and biting dialogue that is music to my ears.
Cal is gonna be the one to defend my taste through the following 97 films, at least I have no expectation of getting The Apartment in here. I just hope Come and See and The Fall show up
RE: 1940/50 must-sees: The film up against Sunset Blvd that same year for the Oscars is another masterpiece in writing & acting that must be experienced: ‘All About Eve.’ Two films from the 1940’s that are as moving and relevant today as ever and deserve to be on every list: Casablanca (1942) and It’s A Wonderful Life (1946.) A perfect post-war film that won 7 Oscars is the 1946 ‘The Best Years of Our Lives.’ Another masterpiece is ‘The Third Man’ from 1949 with cinematography that remains one of the most amazing black & white films ever made. Another Billy Wilder masterpiece from a bit later-1959-is ‘Some Like It Hot,’ one of the funniest films ever with a lot of meta in-jokes and references as well. And if you want to experience one of the most gorgeous Technicolor films ever made (and one of Martin Scorsese’s favorites and on which he spent $250K to restore) is the 1948 ‘The Red Shoes.’ In 1954 was ‘Seven Samurai’ from one of global cinema’s true geniuses-Akira Kurosawa. The 1954 ‘Rome, Open City’ by Rossellini is an incredible experience which helped begin the Neorealist revolution. The 1950’s and 40’s had some of the greatest Noirs, heist films, the beginnings of the French New Wave, Italian Neorealism, the Japanese Golden Age and Hollywood classics.
100%. When she said that this film was the only one from that era, I thought of all those, and if you can't find room for them in your top 100, your opinion is almost meaningless.
Just in relation to Gloria Swanson NOT winning the oscar that year, keep in mind that was the same year that Bette Davis was also nominated for All About Eve. Neither of them won though.
So re, the parallels between Norma and Joe - One of the things that I really appreciated in the latest London stage production of the musical directed by Jamie Lloyd (Coming to NYC in Nov, and yes I'm heavily pitching it- it's brilliant) is you get a deep sense that Joe, and Norma, and all the 'little people' in the industry that you meet, are damaged individuals, all of a kin and almost worn down into sharp, hard, bitter people. Joe and Norma develop a sort of relationship as in the movie, but there's also almost a friendship, or kinship. The production is a cold hard take on the story, and an angrier indignation of the industry, but in there, towards the end, you understand - this is a dysfunctional, co-dependent, and deeply sad relationship - two people clinging to each other for dear life. it's heartbreaking when you recognize that, and the inevitable ending is the perfect example of an industry that chews people out and spits them out. Boy, I love this production.
A few trivia points, if u care: -Gloria Swanson got her start in Hollywood doing zany Mack Sennett slapstick comedies -in 1925, at the height of her fame thus far, she married a fabulously wealthy French count with his own chateau--her return to the U.S. after the wedding literally caused riots in the streets -when sound came in, due to the primitive tech, it made Gloria's voice sound thin and somewhat shrill, and it damaged her career for years. -Smash sensation though it was, SB didn't really boost her movie career: predictably, a flood of ersatz-Norma parts flooded in and she rejected them all -disappointed with Hollywood, she switched to TV and became a star of the small screen, hosting a show with everything from chats with the rich and famous, cooking segments, household hints, society gossip.....altho a bit odd, her show pioneered a lot of later daytime TV. I heartily recommend her autobiography, Swanson On Swanson. One of the very first Hollywood-goddess-tells-all books, and one of the very best.
I’m sure I’ve seen this movie 100 times and will probably watch another 100 times. Gloria Swanson‘s performance is flawless. She hits just the right balance of pathos and madness. All of her gestures and expressions are straight out of a silent screen performance and yet you always know deep within her, she is aware of her own madness and shattered dreams. You can’t write that stuff. As always with a Billy Wilder film it’s a cast brilliantly in every role. Holden is also perfect as a loser screenwriter - what Jack Warner used to call “schmucks with Underwood” screenwriters
What a fun and informative video! It was a great way to spend an hour, always happy to see long form videos about movies. Missed the first couple in this new series, but I'm excited to check out the other two on the list :D
It was a movie I'd always assumed I'd seen but looking it up and subsequently watching it I had not. Was great and I think I'll enjoy watching along with anything that pops up as something ive not seen before.
I feel like Nick Cage is definitely Norma Desmond. You’d probably have to do some gender swapping in other roles, but if you could convince him to play the “chewed up and spit out” actor, he would kill in that role. Just imagine that close up!
I love this film. So many wonderful lines, beautiful, dramatic filming, great plot. (I also just love Double Indemnity.) During the discussion the topic of movies about movies came up, and I was surprised that none of the more nostalgic films about films were mentioned. I'm thinking of movies like The Purple Rose of Cairo and the brilliant The Majestic which are both awesome films - about movies. But unlike Sunset Blvd which shows the dark side of Hollywood, those films focus on the interaction between film fans and the movies.
It hurt that some of them did not know who Kristy Swanson was... If she played Norma, Adam Rifkin could play Max, KJ Apa could play Joe , then Howard Deutch could play Cecil B. DeMille with Zoey Deutch as Betty and Nic Cage playing Artie.
Hope you will check out noir classics from the 40’s (maybe start with another Billy Wilder film- Double Indemnity) and then some Pre-Code jewels from the 30’s (those by Billy Wilder’s mentor Ernst Lubitsch are recommended,) and then some silents by Charlie Chaplin. Relevant, creative, insightful, funny, touching, stunning- a lot of words could describe them. ⭐
"It's so obvious that he's a writer trying to be a really good writer, but he's not." Love this observation, and one to which I relate all too well. Over the years, I've done more than my share of editing/proofreading for others. The Joe Gillis type stands as the most arduous part of the task. People who don't fancy themselves as great writers? Their stuff is easy because they keep it simple. Just take their content and give it a little polish. Bad writers who think they're good attempt to do too much on the page, plus they get highly defensive and territorial in the face of even the most constructive of criticism. Keep up this series, Cinefix... these conversations reveal why this is the smartest movie channel on TH-cam.
Another detail of movie history is that 1950 was the year that the industry ceased using Nitrate film. SUNSET BOULEVARD was the last movie shot on the old cellulose nitrate film stock. As far as how Hollywood consumes people as displayed in SUNSET BOULEVARD and how it's the same today, that's not quite so. The people in the industry today are far more diabolical and in many ways more evil than before. At least the characters in this movie has compassion unlike the amoral people of today. As for casting, Montgomery Cliff was considered for the role of Joe Gillis. If that had happened, his portrayal might have been more sympathetic compared to the more cynical and snarky attitude from Holden.
Re: The money running out. Remember that there was no income tax back then If the biggies in the silent era didn't lose their fortune in the depression they were set for life.
The butler/husband Max was a direct inspiration for the much larger-than-life butler (literally) Max from Cats Don’t Dance! (The movie itself referencing a lot of classic Hollywood faces/tropes.)
I knew we’d get to a movie I hadn’t seen yet, but I didn’t think it would be this quick…I’m somewhat ashamed 😅. Going to go find where I can stream this and I’ll be back
I’m back for the episode after just watching the film for the first time. Not only was it a great flick, but the subject matter felt so heightened to me while watching it during the SAG/AFTRA strike. The depictions of struggling, underpaid writers, holds true to the sorts of stories we hear from the front lines of those on strike today
The character Norma represented the old woman , the evil woman , the rich woman , the past , the crazy woman, the woman who wanted to be a star, the woman who could not move on in her life . The character Betty represented the young woman , the good woman , the poor but honest woman , the future , the normal woman, the woman who was satisfied being in the background , the woman who could move on in life .
I just watched Sunset Boulevard for the first time, as preparation before watching this video, and it's great so thanks for that. Not one I'm going to go back to regularly, but glad I've seen it. Nic Cage can do Max if you give Max two mods: the restrained manservant all business and care, and the totally coke-energy restless director. Alternatively, make him a paparazzi/gossip writer.
I think Andrew Garfield could be a good Joe Gillis in the remake Can’t believe you didn’t even mention the musical! Say what you want about Andrew Lloyd Webber, that musical does a great job of translating some of the most iconic moments onto the stage - it even starts with a from-below shot of Joe floating in the pool, which is no mean feat onstage
It is a PERFECT movie. Her performance was perfection. It's what Faye Dunaway aspired to in Mommie Dearest but went too far and Into camp. Norma is full camp too, but not silly; she is still compelling in part because of the nature of silent film acting. She captures the idea of beautiful anachronism, which is essentially the arc of most stars. They end up still beautiful but not relevant or wanted with new audiences: beautiful anachronisms. I watch this move over and over and over. As a gay man, she leads the opulent, eccentric, Eff you life I dream of. And it is quintessentially Los Angeles. It reeks of LA. LA still feels like this movie looks to this day. It captures that anything is possible and all your dreams / nightmares can come true here energy of LA. It has a gothic and even a goth vibe. Max was pulled from a gothic horror classic. I love that you use the word "surrealistic" about the chimp funeral. I think the film could be categorized as surrealistic noir. Apparently it is not technically film noir but what do they know?
Great VO... Apocalypse Now. The sleazy sales guy in Sunset Boulevard somehow reminds me of Bill Paxton’s sleazy sales guy role in True Lies. Greatest film that’s set in Los Angeles but Los Angeles is totally besides the point... Blade Runner. Jeff Goldblum appearances in movies that I’d rather watch than Independence Day... Earth Girls Are Easy, Death Wish, The Fly, Jurassic Park, Annie Hall, etc. (Annie Hall: some VO and a little bit set in Los Angeles) I like Independence Day but I’d have way more respect for it if that horrible shot of Will Smith’s dog making it out of the traffic tunnel explosion alive wasn’t in it. Tip to great movie making, kill the dog like they do in Rear Window, Jaws, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Halloween, A Fish Called Wanda, etc. I have a list somewhere and it’s shocking how many great movies kill off a dog. I am not really a cat. Be very nice to dogs in real life, of course. Fast Times At Ridgemont High is my favourite Nicolas Cage movie... HUGS! Thanks for making videos eh.
Fun Fact: When Gloria Swanson finished Norma's final scene, the mad staircase descent, she burst into tears and the crew applauded. Even though it wasn't the last scene filmed, Billy Wilder threw a party for her as soon as the shot was finished.
Today I heard a interview with Billy wilder on TH-cam. He said it was filmed chronologically and that final scene was THE final scene. In another interview by Swanson herself, she said she started crying because she said that 12 weeks of filming where now over. She said she started crying and said, can we do it all over again? She was referring to the 12 weeks which she said was the longest she ever filmed and the best time she ever had. The entire crew loved her very much and treated her like Hollywood royalty.
@@SunsetBoulevard111 Wow I must google this interview. She seems to be a pretty nice lady and I wish I could have met her.
She deserves all glory and appreciation.
@@RodneyPlayer-f9l
I did, at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus in 1977. She was charming.
My girl Norma was out there, having nervous breakdown, committing murder and predicting Netflix . 😂
"I am big, it's the picture that got small."
@clarapilier she's legendary. The Oscars should have been beating down her door for that performance. She was an incredible actress. No one today compares.
Gloria Swanson out did herself playing Norma D. This movie was genius.
I believe that Nic Cage would be best suited for the Norma role. It would slow him to go as over the top as he wants and still be believable in the context of the film.
hm... a gender reversed Sunset Boulevard could be fascinating...
Every time I think of the call from DeMille and everything Norma does to prepare for her “comeback” the more i think of Sarah Goldfarb and everything happening from the game show call in requiem for a dream. Total parallels.
I was blown away by Gloria Swanson in this movie when I first saw it a few years ago. It instantly became one of my favourite performances in film, she’s absolutely electric on this, simultaneously a spider and a vulnerable victim. She’s a powerhouse in this.
Well said and I couldn't agree more. On my first viewing, in my early 20s, the pool scene and Billy Wilder's direction quickly grabbed me, and I knew I would love it. And then, we get deeper and deeper into Swanson's performance, and it starts to completely entrance me, and she was perfectly cast for the character. She epitomizes the fusion of excellent writing and acting. It's nearly perfect. Her performance (and Holden is great too) combined with the genius of Billy Wilder, and by the end, I just had this cathartic feeling that you only have when the film has truly impacted you. I'm so grateful I was able to see a screening of it, too (my third viewing) at AFI Silver Theatre. It might be a top 15 film for me.
She's like Frankenstein's monster or the Phantom of the Opera - you can't help feeling sorry for her despite her monstrous actions.
Nick Cage should play Norma. He’s always ready for his close up. Also, when you were talking about remakes, I was surprised you didn’t mention the stage musical. (By Andrew Lloyd Webber, btw.) It’s something special.
He’s a perfect fit. Especially when you consider this theatrical acting style.
Yeah! Gender swap it with Margaret Qualley as the writer character, and get John Woo or Scorsese in the DeMille part.
SB: Still waiting for this gem to hit 4K. When, folks? WHEN?!
I've seen Sunset Boulevard probably 30 times and this video made me consider things that had never crossed my mind. Super smart and entertaining. I will say that I don't agree that Norma Desmond was a terrible person. I think she was a lonely, desperate, delusional person that wanted better for herself.
That and the fact that Norma was abused and misguided, not realizing how she could re-inventing herself to accommodate her maturity.
Another cameo you didn't mention was the character of the gossip columnist who shows up at the end: she was indeed a famous gossip columnist at the time and also played herself.
No one threw shade at Hollywood more than Billy Wilder with this masterpiece. He gloriously bit the hand that fed him.
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL is another along this line, structured like Citizen Kane.
What I found most surprising on watching this film is how Gothic it is. The initial setup is the LA equivalent of the lost traveler turning up at the haunted castle. The production design completely echoes this idea. Norma Desmond might as well be a vampire.
Spot on - the mansion is filled with cobwebs, creepy photos, dead monkeys, and an organ that constantly drones, occasionally played by the taciturn butler. Comparing Norma to a Vampire is very smart. In the class I teach, one of the questions I make my students answer is if they think Norma is more like Medusa or Dracula.
@@christianbravo9031 That's an excellent comparison. I'm in the vampire camp myself, but a monster who traps you with her image is also fascinating.
But those Hollywood mansions were just like that
CineFix Top 100 so far:
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
56. Sunset Boulevard
84. Independence Day
Thank you!! ❤
Wtf out of all movies Independence Day made it to their top 100?
@@R0CKDRIG0Blame Clint
@@R0CKDRIG0 Independence Day should be higher.
What happened to the Parasite episode?
Can't help but think of Carol Burnett and Tim Conway when I see this film. I also think that the monkey funeral scene isn't just surreal but a brilliant piece of foreshadowing. Joe is being told, "Hey, there's just been an opening to become Norma Desmond's monkey, but just know this is how they all end up."
I think you are incorrect... Max only learned they just wanted the car whilst she was meeting De-Mille.
Where's Parasite, I've been waiting all week
I get cravings to watch this film and can’t even count how many times I’ve watched it. It’s a masterpiece.
Billy Wilder continues to be incredibly underrated
I would watch the shit out of that remake - well suggested.
But, Nic as Gloria would be even better!
I love that it's a combination of the masculine-coded noir genre and the feminine-coded Gothic.
Best throwaway line: “Must you chew gum?
Robin Williams’ nod to Norma’s final scene was both chilling and funny in Mrs. Doubtfire.
*Daniel Hillard gets fitted for a mask*
Daniel: “I feel like Gloria Swanson.”
Frank: “You look like her mother.”
Daniel: “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille!”
After somehow inpendence day was in this list , finally a movie worthy in my opinion of being in all time great list
Do you have your own Top 100 list? Make your list and play along with us! Where does Sunset Boulevard rank?
No more Billy Wilder? He made 10 all time classics in a row! Nobody ever achieved anything like that!
Is it me or Clint looks like Pedro Pascal?
When the Broadway musical adaptation came out, it was first previewed in Los Angeles. My agent ran into Billy Wilder in Hollywood in Beverly Hills and asked him if he had seen it. Wilder shrugged and said “from a musical you can make a movie from a movie you can’t make a musical“
“The Player” - Another movie about the business of Hollywood. A lot of cameos in that.
just started watching robert altman. this one has been on my radar
In the remake Nicholas Cage should be cast as Norma Desmond...how could they have missed the obvious there?
One of my favorites!… up there with Mildred Pierce, Letter to 3 Wives, From here to eternity, the best years of our lives, The Letter, postman Always Rings Twice with Lana Turner, Double Indemnity..
The fact everyone considers this a masterpiece, but was only on Cal's list! I vaguely remember seeing this as a child for the first time on TCM and thinking this was a horror movie because of that last shot, it terrified me, it haunts my dreams.
Best scene Norma watching an old silent movie, which in real life is the movie that ruined Gloria’s career with a quick cut to the butler, who in real life directed the movie that ruined Gloria’s career.
The meta commentary in this one is THICK.
At the first showing on the big screen at a theatre somewhere out there on the dark and everyone in the business showed up - the movieveas over and the theatre fell silent! Not a whisper. Then all of a sudden, thunderous applause and standing ovation and lots of emotion sprang forth. Mary Pickford took off crying somewhere away from everyone, Barbara Stanywick knelt on her knees and keep swed the hem of Swanson's dress. Incredible story of that night.
To fully enjoy film, u need at least a basic education. This channel provides that 😊. When I was young, this film bored me. Now I fully appreciate it’s genius especially the writing … amazing screenplay and acting
i will always remember that face in the end of the movie. EPIC!
Yes! The sequence when they go to the studio is an all time classic scene!!!!
This is my actual number 1 favourite film ❤ sooooo good, the moment where Norma wails that she do it again and auld lang synes kicks in I burst out laughing in a completely quiet cinema!
This is my absolute favorite film of all time!
Why is the Parasite episode not up yet? 😭
Maybe they are burnt out by all the barbenheimer
It was online for a very short time on Monday
It was also on IGN's website. Wonder why they took it down.
I found it on IGN Africa's site of all places. It's still there if you want to watch it.
I watched it five years ago when I was in college and absolutely loved it. It's one of the greatest films for me and now I wanna watch it again.
Forget about Max, Cage is clearly Norma Desmond (Norm, in this case). But that's the only character being sex-swapped. Max is his butler and ex-husband, later to be revealed that they tried to keep it secret so that Norm could still get those straight male lead roles back when he was still relevant.
All About Eve was another similar movie to this that was absolutely amazing!
‘Gloria Swanson should have won’ Yes.. but don’t forget Bette Davis was up for All About Eve and she lost too! The vote was split and Judy Holliday took it.
I think Gloria and Bette both lost mostly because they didn't have a studio contract at the time. Probably why Barbara Stanwyck never won. The studios had a lot of sway in convincing people who to vote for. Bette also had the problem that Ann Baxter was nominated as well for Eve though I don't see anybody voting for her over Bette. This is one year where there should've been ties or multiple awards because Bette and Gloria both deserved the Oscar and certainly Joseph Mankiewicz for the screenplay for Eve.
Nicolas Cage would HAVE to be the Gloria Swanson character in a remake!
THANK YOU!
Jlo is 4 years older than Gloria Swanson in this movie.
While I think Sunset Boulevard should’ve won many more awards, it was up against All About Eve who still holds the record (along with two others) for most nominations with 14. While I think Sunset Boulevard is the better movie, I believe All About Eve has the best movie script ever written. Both movies has some of the best wicked and biting dialogue that is music to my ears.
Y'all are crazy. You put Nic Cage in the poker scene.
THE happy ending would be Norma learning to be a modern character actress and having a functioning career playing normal women of her own age…
Don't know why the audio is so low quality for this and the independence day episode, it is distracting
Cal is gonna be the one to defend my taste through the following 97 films, at least I have no expectation of getting The Apartment in here. I just hope Come and See and The Fall show up
RE: 1940/50 must-sees:
The film up against Sunset Blvd that same year for the Oscars is another masterpiece in writing & acting that must be experienced: ‘All About Eve.’ Two films from the 1940’s that are as moving and relevant today as ever and deserve to be on every list: Casablanca (1942) and It’s A Wonderful Life (1946.) A perfect post-war film that won 7 Oscars is the 1946 ‘The Best Years of Our Lives.’ Another masterpiece is ‘The Third Man’ from 1949 with cinematography that remains one of the most amazing black & white films ever made. Another Billy Wilder masterpiece from a bit later-1959-is ‘Some Like It Hot,’ one of the funniest films ever with a lot of meta in-jokes and references as well. And if you want to experience one of the most gorgeous Technicolor films ever made (and one of Martin Scorsese’s favorites and on which he spent $250K to restore) is the 1948 ‘The Red Shoes.’ In 1954 was ‘Seven Samurai’ from one of global cinema’s true geniuses-Akira Kurosawa. The 1954 ‘Rome, Open City’ by Rossellini is an incredible experience which helped begin the Neorealist revolution. The 1950’s and 40’s had some of the greatest Noirs, heist films, the beginnings of the French New Wave, Italian Neorealism, the Japanese Golden Age and Hollywood classics.
100%. When she said that this film was the only one from that era, I thought of all those, and if you can't find room for them in your top 100, your opinion is almost meaningless.
no way that eternal sunshine is ahead of this
Freddy Got Fingered is the ultimate middle finger to Hollywood
These 3 have the chemistry of a child’s playset.
Clint could easily be mistaken as Pedro Pascal
I legit thought it was Pedro.
@@nabeelmirza6060 So do I
I thought he was vince gilligan for half a second lol.
@@SkratchersOtherWorseChannelHe's like if Vince and Pedro had a child
So did I watch this movie in college. This is a masterpiece
Just in relation to Gloria Swanson NOT winning the oscar that year, keep in mind that was the same year that Bette Davis was also nominated for All About Eve. Neither of them won though.
So re, the parallels between Norma and Joe - One of the things that I really appreciated in the latest London stage production of the musical directed by Jamie Lloyd (Coming to NYC in Nov, and yes I'm heavily pitching it- it's brilliant) is you get a deep sense that Joe, and Norma, and all the 'little people' in the industry that you meet, are damaged individuals, all of a kin and almost worn down into sharp, hard, bitter people. Joe and Norma develop a sort of relationship as in the movie, but there's also almost a friendship, or kinship. The production is a cold hard take on the story, and an angrier indignation of the industry, but in there, towards the end, you understand - this is a dysfunctional, co-dependent, and deeply sad relationship - two people clinging to each other for dear life. it's heartbreaking when you recognize that, and the inevitable ending is the perfect example of an industry that chews people out and spits them out. Boy, I love this production.
A few trivia points, if u care:
-Gloria Swanson got her start in Hollywood doing zany Mack Sennett slapstick comedies
-in 1925, at the height of her fame thus far, she married a fabulously wealthy French count with his own chateau--her return to the U.S. after the wedding literally caused riots in the streets
-when sound came in, due to the primitive tech, it made Gloria's voice sound thin and somewhat shrill, and it damaged her career for years.
-Smash sensation though it was, SB didn't really boost her movie career: predictably, a flood of ersatz-Norma parts flooded in and she rejected them all
-disappointed with Hollywood, she switched to TV and became a star of the small screen, hosting a show with everything from chats with the rich and famous, cooking segments, household hints, society gossip.....altho a bit odd, her show pioneered a lot of later daytime TV.
I heartily recommend her autobiography, Swanson On Swanson. One of the very first Hollywood-goddess-tells-all books, and one of the very best.
I’m sure I’ve seen this movie 100 times and will probably watch another 100 times. Gloria Swanson‘s performance is flawless. She hits just the right balance of pathos and madness. All of her gestures and expressions are straight out of a silent screen performance and yet you always know deep within her, she is aware of her own madness and shattered dreams. You can’t write that stuff. As always with a Billy Wilder film it’s a cast brilliantly in every role. Holden is also perfect as a loser screenwriter - what Jack Warner used to call “schmucks with Underwood” screenwriters
I wish wish wish I was at that table and a part of the discussion. This movie for me is something. That genius Billy Wilder
Wonder what happened to the audio.
English was Billy Wilder's 3rd or 4th language 18:40
What a fun and informative video! It was a great way to spend an hour, always happy to see long form videos about movies. Missed the first couple in this new series, but I'm excited to check out the other two on the list :D
"...he gets mistaken for a monkey undertaker".
-said no one ever
Love this format, I hope you’ll be able to do all 100
It was a movie I'd always assumed I'd seen but looking it up and subsequently watching it I had not. Was great and I think I'll enjoy watching along with anything that pops up as something ive not seen before.
Low quality audio again? Please sort it out
One of David Lynch’s favorite movies.
I feel like Nick Cage is definitely Norma Desmond. You’d probably have to do some gender swapping in other roles, but if you could convince him to play the “chewed up and spit out” actor, he would kill in that role. Just imagine that close up!
It is always a trip to see young people using their comtemorary influences to analize a movie done so long ago before they were born .
Love the commentary but why is the audio quality sound like AM talk radio?
Nicolas Cage as... Norman Desmond.
It was SO EASY, Nicolas Cage can only play in a very dramatic and serious way, Gloria Swanson!!!
I love this film. So many wonderful lines, beautiful, dramatic filming, great plot. (I also just love Double Indemnity.)
During the discussion the topic of movies about movies came up, and I was surprised that none of the more nostalgic films about films were mentioned. I'm thinking of movies like The Purple Rose of Cairo and the brilliant The Majestic which are both awesome films - about movies. But unlike Sunset Blvd which shows the dark side of Hollywood, those films focus on the interaction between film fans and the movies.
Steve Buscemi would be a great Max.
It hurt that some of them did not know who Kristy Swanson was... If she played Norma, Adam Rifkin could play Max, KJ Apa could play Joe , then Howard Deutch could play Cecil B. DeMille with Zoey Deutch as Betty and Nic Cage playing Artie.
I look forward to your episode on Apocalypse Now!
This was the oldest movie I've ever seen. Really fascinating to see what filmmaking was like back then. And amazing how relevant the movie still is.
Hope you will check out noir classics from the 40’s (maybe start with another Billy Wilder film- Double Indemnity) and then some Pre-Code jewels from the 30’s (those by Billy Wilder’s mentor Ernst Lubitsch are recommended,) and then some silents by Charlie Chaplin. Relevant, creative, insightful, funny, touching, stunning- a lot of words could describe them. ⭐
Probably my favourite film. It’s brilliant.
It took me fckn forever to figure out VO meant voice over. Geez people. I’m not a movie critic nor in the biz.
"It's so obvious that he's a writer trying to be a really good writer, but he's not." Love this observation, and one to which I relate all too well.
Over the years, I've done more than my share of editing/proofreading for others. The Joe Gillis type stands as the most arduous part of the task. People who don't fancy themselves as great writers? Their stuff is easy because they keep it simple. Just take their content and give it a little polish. Bad writers who think they're good attempt to do too much on the page, plus they get highly defensive and territorial in the face of even the most constructive of criticism.
Keep up this series, Cinefix... these conversations reveal why this is the smartest movie channel on TH-cam.
C'mon... Nic Cage with the crazy eyes... who else but Norma Desmond?
I was hoping that Nic Cage would be cast as the Norma Desmond role.
Another detail of movie history is that 1950 was the year that the industry ceased using Nitrate film. SUNSET BOULEVARD was the last movie shot on the old cellulose nitrate film stock. As far as how Hollywood consumes people as displayed in SUNSET BOULEVARD and how it's the same today, that's not quite so. The people in the industry today are far more diabolical and in many ways more evil than before. At least the characters in this movie has compassion unlike the amoral people of today. As for casting, Montgomery Cliff was considered for the role of Joe Gillis. If that had happened, his portrayal might have been more sympathetic compared to the more cynical and snarky attitude from Holden.
It’s just occurred to me that this is sort of a precursor to MISERY - the deadly muse.
Spielberg as deMille. Drew Barrymore as Norma, Roman Polanski as Max, and Cage as the Writer
Re: The money running out. Remember that there was no income tax back then If the biggies in the silent era didn't lose their fortune in the depression they were set for life.
Billy Wilder HOF/MT Rushmore so many superlatives. Also Clint Eastwood's favorite film.
The butler/husband Max was a direct inspiration for the much larger-than-life butler (literally) Max from Cats Don’t Dance! (The movie itself referencing a lot of classic Hollywood faces/tropes.)
I knew we’d get to a movie I hadn’t seen yet, but I didn’t think it would be this quick…I’m somewhat ashamed 😅. Going to go find where I can stream this and I’ll be back
I’m back for the episode after just watching the film for the first time. Not only was it a great flick, but the subject matter felt so heightened to me while watching it during the SAG/AFTRA strike. The depictions of struggling, underpaid writers, holds true to the sorts of stories we hear from the front lines of those on strike today
The character Norma represented the old woman , the evil woman , the rich woman , the past , the crazy woman, the woman who wanted to be a star, the woman who could not move on in her life . The character Betty represented the young woman , the good woman , the poor but honest woman , the future , the normal woman, the woman who was satisfied being in the background , the woman who could move on in life .
WHERE IS PARASITE!!!
I just watched Sunset Boulevard for the first time, as preparation before watching this video, and it's great so thanks for that. Not one I'm going to go back to regularly, but glad I've seen it.
Nic Cage can do Max if you give Max two mods: the restrained manservant all business and care, and the totally coke-energy restless director. Alternatively, make him a paparazzi/gossip writer.
No all about eve on your top 100?!? For shame!!
Despite his flaws, Joe didn't deserve to die. That fact seems lost on these hosts.
I believe that's a feature of noir films
I think Andrew Garfield could be a good Joe Gillis in the remake
Can’t believe you didn’t even mention the musical! Say what you want about Andrew Lloyd Webber, that musical does a great job of translating some of the most iconic moments onto the stage - it even starts with a from-below shot of Joe floating in the pool, which is no mean feat onstage
It is a PERFECT movie. Her performance was perfection. It's what Faye Dunaway aspired to in Mommie Dearest but went too far and Into camp. Norma is full camp too, but not silly; she is still compelling in part because of the nature of silent film acting. She captures the idea of beautiful anachronism, which is essentially the arc of most stars. They end up still beautiful but not relevant or wanted with new audiences: beautiful anachronisms. I watch this move over and over and over. As a gay man, she leads the opulent, eccentric, Eff you life I dream of. And it is quintessentially Los Angeles. It reeks of LA. LA still feels like this movie looks to this day. It captures that anything is possible and all your dreams / nightmares can come true here energy of LA. It has a gothic and even a goth vibe. Max was pulled from a gothic horror classic. I love that you use the word "surrealistic" about the chimp funeral. I think the film could be categorized as surrealistic noir. Apparently it is not technically film noir but what do they know?
Can’t help but wonder what they edited out right after 9:26 lol
Great VO... Apocalypse Now.
The sleazy sales guy in Sunset Boulevard somehow reminds me of Bill Paxton’s sleazy sales guy role in True Lies.
Greatest film that’s set in Los Angeles but Los Angeles is totally besides the point... Blade Runner.
Jeff Goldblum appearances in movies that I’d rather watch than Independence Day... Earth Girls Are Easy, Death Wish, The Fly, Jurassic Park, Annie Hall, etc. (Annie Hall: some VO and a little bit set in Los Angeles)
I like Independence Day but I’d have way more respect for it if that horrible shot of Will Smith’s dog making it out of the traffic tunnel explosion alive wasn’t in it.
Tip to great movie making, kill the dog like they do in Rear Window, Jaws, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Halloween, A Fish Called Wanda, etc. I have a list somewhere and it’s shocking how many great movies kill off a dog.
I am not really a cat. Be very nice to dogs in real life, of course.
Fast Times At Ridgemont High is my favourite Nicolas Cage movie... HUGS!
Thanks for making videos eh.