Billy Wilder directed this fine film noir which stars William Holden as a down on his luck screenwriter who happens upon a decaying mansion inhabited by a faded silent screen star named Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson).
Holden is Joe Gillis a writer who cannot catch a break. Desmond hires him to bring her career back and spends money on him left and right. She won't admit her career is over, but she slowly falls in love with Gillis, and has extreme fits of jealousy whenever Gillis isn't around.
Gillis' life slowly gets better as a script he wrote is finally getting recognition. Desmond finally has had enough and she shoots Gillis in the back and he dies in a swimming pool.
This is an exceptional film noir and all of the performers are great. The rest of the cast includes Erich Von Stroheim as the first husband of Desmond, now as her chauffeur, Nancy Olsen is the young woman who has the hots for Holden, Fred Clark, and Jack Webb. Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper and Buster Keaton appear as themselves.
An all American classic!!! You'll love the scene where a monkey has a funeral. One of a kind. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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