Sunset Boulevard

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Sunset Boulevard

Released Aug 10, 1950

1h 50m

Drama

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98%

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115 Reviews

94%

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50,000+ Ratings

An aging silent film queen refuses to accept that her stardom has ended. She hires a young screenwriter to help set up her movie comeback. The screenwriter believes he can manipulate her, but he soon finds out he is wrong. The screenwriters ambivalence about their relationship and her unwillingness to let go leads to a situation of violence, madness, and death.

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Critics Consensus

Arguably the greatest movie about Hollywood, Billy Wilder's masterpiece Sunset Boulevard is a tremendously entertaining combination of noir, black comedy, and character study.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Billy Wilder’s chillingly cold-blooded satire of Hollywood is one of his finest films — and indeed arguably one of the greatest movies of the period.

Jun 27, 2023

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

Smashing drama of the old-fashioned kind, plus elegant perceptive characterization of the modern school, combined to make Sunset Boulevard one of the greatest films of the decade.

Oct 11, 2021

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James Agee

Sight & Sound

It is Hollywood craftsmanship at its smartest and at just about its best, and it is hard to find better craftsmanship than that, at this time, in any art or country.

Oct 11, 2021

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Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

Culturess

Sunset Boulevard is every bit as relevant as when it first premiered in 1950, due to Wilder's compelling directing as well as writing.

Dec 5, 2024

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Calum Cooper

In Their Own League

Its performances, music, cinematography and direction continue to awe-inspire even seventy three years after its release.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 19, 2024

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

Sunset Boulevard is the most intelligent film to come out of Hollywood for years : lest the idea of intelligence in the cinema should lack allure, let me say that it is also one of the most exciting.

Oct 3, 2023

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Shirley L

Classic story of someone trying to break into the movie business and taken advantage of by an older star. I could have been a young woman being taken advantage of by an older male star for the same impact.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/21

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Lon C

My favorite movie of all time. Bravo to all!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

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Fer S

It is a great movie, it just starts dragging from the middle.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

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Jerry W

It's nice to get to see old movies that I've heard so much about, like "Sunset Boulevard". I found it to be a tragic story of men and women caught up in a glamorous industry, but largely seeing the tough uninspiring reality of it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/06/25

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Allan P

I watched this movie not knowing what to expect and I was absolutely blown away. I was so engrossed in the characters that I couldn't look away. The performances, particularly Gloria Swanson, are top notch. Sometimes I wonder why some of these noir era cinematographic techniques don't get used anymore because they just look so good. I highly recommend this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/05/25

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Brennan W

This film surprised me because I really didn't know what to expect. I like how much its centered around the movie business, especially when we look back at where things started. The main character being a screenwriter is different from what is seen in other films. This movie is beautiful for its time and really stands the test of time. Its characters are interesting and the film had me caring for them throughout. I enjoyed the film and learning more about the world of an early Hollywood, because its always nice to get many takes on what life was like. I would recommend this film to people especially interesting in noir stories, we don't get a whole lot like these anymore.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

Full Review

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Billy Wilder

Director

William Holden

Joe Gillis

Gloria Swanson

Norma Desmond

Erich von Stroheim

Max Von Mayerling

Nancy Olson

Betty Schaefer

Fred Clark

Sheldrake

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Sunset Boulevard: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

An aging silent film queen refuses to accept that her stardom has ended. She hires a young screenwriter to help set up her movie comeback. The screenwriter believes he can manipulate her, but he soon finds out he is wrong. The screenwriters ambivalence about their relationship and her unwillingness to let go leads to a situation of violence, madness, and death.

Director: Billy Wilder
Producer: Charles Brackett
Screenwriter: Charles Brackett, D.M. Marshman Jr., Billy Wilder
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 1950, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 50m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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