Pinot Noir #10

Film Club Tonight: SOUNSET BOULEVARD!

Somehow we are only now watching our first Billy Wilder film, from 1950, it’s SUNSET BOULEVARD! A film so iconic—it’s a cliche!

Sunset Boulevard is a film baaaasically ripped off from the book The The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh (Wilder couldn’t get the rights to it, but still made the movie) but we love it anyway! Gloria Swanson plays a has been actress from the silent film era, Norma Desmond, who has completely lost her mind because no one is obsessed with her anymore. She’s holed up in her gorgeous mansion on Sunset Boulevard, staring at pictures of herself (Sound familiar?? Scrolling through our own insta feeds—I know you do it!), hoping the paparazzi will come to call! The camera men might not be showing up, but William Holden—an out of work screenwriter—is!

This film is the definition of iconic. We all know the line, “I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeVille!” Or maybe you knew the line but didn’t actually know where it came from. Well, this is it honey! Swanson’s character is one that has become archetypal since—the forgotten actress desperate to get back on screen is a story we’ve seen time and time again, but none of them have reached the height of Norma Desmond.

Here’s more about what makes this one of the most important film noirs of all time…

Where to watch:

You can find Sunset Boulevard for free on my personal favorite, PlutoTV. If you have a Paramount Plus subscription, they currently have the movie as well. It’s available to rent on most platforms, or always for free on archive.org!

Come back to discuss!

I’ll start a Subscribers chat thread tonight at 8 PM EST to discuss the film—one of which I actually have a cartoon about!

As I said two weeks ago, Pinot Noir will longer be behind the paid wall!! So tonight (or whenever you watch the movie) join the subscribers chat to discuss with our hot and murderous community about the woes of being a has been!