Rent Sunset Boulevard (1950)

'All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up' - Sunset Boulevard review by CP Customer

I was expecting big things from this picture and it delivered! I instantly loved the direct opening, very film noir. There are some killer scenes, most of which contain Glora Swanson, who commanded every scene she watched, she was incredibly believable and a quote that sums her character up is ‘I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.’ Her character was very complex; I went from despising her to pitying her. The lighting was beautiful and played a key role in making Norma Desmond’s (Glora Swanson) mansion a character in itself. This film is a classic to be watched by film lovers of all ages, I want to watch it again now!

Fabulous - Sunset Boulevard review by SL

Excellent film, fabulous acting, (Gloria Swanson, wow!) and a wonderful story. Well worth watching and lovers of old motor cars will see a few beauties too!

Dead Men Tell Tales - Sunset Boulevard review by griggs

Sunset Boulevard opens with a body in a pool and a voiceover that oozes regret. What follows is part noir, part gothic horror, part pitch-black Hollywood satire. The tone wobbles on a tightrope between camp and tragedy—and somehow lands every step.

Gloria Swanson is extraordinary: not just playing Norma Desmond, but resurrecting herself with eerie, knowing grandeur. It’s a performance that’s both tragic and terrifying—fame curdled into delusion, with a spotlight still burning in her eyes. William Holden’s weary screenwriter isn’t innocent either; he trades his dignity for a roof and a typewriter, then acts surprised when it costs him more.

The house is a mausoleum, the monkey is… well, let’s not talk about the monkey. Every line is razor-sharp, every shadow purposeful. Wilder doesn’t just critique Hollywood—he embalms it, then puts it on display with a cracked smile. A film about illusions, made by people who knew exactly how illusions work.