MovieChat Forums > Sunset Blvd. (1950) Discussion > Overrated and disappointing

Overrated and disappointing

posted 10 years ago by GuyOnTheLeft
6 replies | jump to latest

This film should have been a guaranteed home run for me. I tend to love "inside Hollywood" films (The Player, 8 1/2, even lesser known works like Shrink) despite never having visited the city. And I consider Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity one of the towering masterpieces of cinema. But this was just...meh (6/10). It has some interesting moments, and historically valuable elements; but ultimately it seemed shallow and melodramatic to me.

[The other Wilder film I have tried, The Apartment, was also a disappointment. Strange.]

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[–] nozmoking 10 years ago

In my opinion this was a more than stellar performance by Gloria Swanson. True, the plot is a bit thin and trite but there is a mix of dry comedy and darkness that I really love. The problem I have with the film is knowing the Greta Garbo was offered the part of Norma Desmond but turned it down I can too easily imagine her playing the part - in fact in many scenes Gloria sounds just like Garbo and I can really tell the part was written for her in the first place.

[–] au561 8 years ago

I feel sorry for you that two of the finest films ever made failed to move you. So sad.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

i don't personally care for it much, my taste runs more to comedies. i can see that Gloria Swanson's performance is impressive, but she's not playing a character i care about much. i don't like anyone in the film really. They could all have got shot and it wouldn't have bothered me at all.

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 8 years ago

IKWYM.

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[–] tightspotkilo 8 years ago

i don't like anyone in the film really. They could all have got shot and it wouldn't have bothered me at all.

FLASH!! FLASH!! [Lightbulbs go off] That's a huge part of the point. One of Wilder and Brackett's main themes here is that Hollywood is chock full of unlikable people.

Get the facts first - you can distort them later!

[–] liscarkat (16729) a year ago

You don't have to like the characters in the movie for it to be a good movie.