| v> | | | | desolate place, in euphoria of the past glory without |
| The movie Sunset Boulevard’ depicts the | | | | accepting the bitter reality of her present day status in |
| callous and unworthy, to an extent wicked, attitude of | | | | the film industry. She lives in a dream world of making |
| the Hollywood film industry. The movie brings out the | | | | a great return in the industry that has forgotten her. |
| unwarranted treatment meted out to its own stars of | | | | She is obsessed for the script that she has written for |
| the past. | | | | her return to silver screen. The emptiness and solitude |
| When the silent cinema graduated to talkies, the film | | | | of her life has driven her to mental instability. |
| industry moved ahead, propelled by its selfish motives, | | | | Norma is the employer while Joe is the employee. |
| leaving behind the legends of yester years to rot in | | | | Norma, being mentally unstable, has an obsession for |
| their past glory, as they had no place or role to play in | | | | all her possessions. Joe, compelled by the |
| the present industry scenario. The most affected | | | | circumstances, falls prey to Norma’s obsession. |
| characters in the movie are Joe Gillis, a screenwriter, | | | | She considers him to be her property and showers a |
| and Norma Desmond, an undisputed queen of silent | | | | handful of presents on him with an expectation of |
| cinema. | | | | being loyal to her. Joe is unable to appreciate this |
| Joe Gillis, a modern day screenwriter known for his | | | | gesture in his youthfulness and considers being |
| originality, find his scripts losing charm and not able to | | | | trapped with his independence endangered. He is |
| impress the customers. He is totally depressed and | | | | forced to stay with her like a puppet with the strings |
| financially broke. His one time appreciated and | | | | being controlled by Norma. He wants to live and enjoy |
| acclaimed quality of being close to reality’ | | | | his life and relations with Ms Banter, but can’t |
| writing, no more generates any interest among the | | | | pursue it owing to the jealous Norma, his employer. |
| leading industry directors and producers. The burden of | | | | Norma has an ongoing conflict with the cinema. She |
| life is compounded by bloodhounds tracking him for | | | | discards the latest developments in the industry and |
| running three payments behind for his car. He finds | | | | considers the silent era to be the best. She goes on to |
| difficult to even afford a single room apartment, he | | | | criticize the latest stars in the industry and believes |
| stays in. With all doors shut, absolutely no work or | | | | them to be sub-standard when compared to her own |
| support from industry or friends (including his agent), he | | | | self. She charges the industry for bringing disrepute |
| accidentally comes in contact with Norma who | | | | and decline of the past stars and industry as is evident |
| employs him for writing screenplay for a script written | | | | from one of her dialogues; Look at them in the front |
| by her. Considering his state of affairs and driven to | | | | offices--- the master minds! They took the idols and |
| the post, he stoops down to accept the offer, knowing | | | | smashed them The Fairbankses and the Chaplins and |
| the lowly credentials of the script. | | | | the Gilberts and the Valentinos. And who have they |
| Norma Desmond portrays a middle aged woman and | | | | got now? Some nobodies----a lot of pale little frogs |
| a legendary star of silent movies. She lives in a | | | | croaking pish-posh! |