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Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard

Drama · 1950

A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.

Movie details

Sunset Boulevard

“A Hollywood Story.”

1950 Drama 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

8.3 / 10

Community rating

A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Sunset Boulevard?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Billy Wilder

Written by

Billy Wilder · D.M. Marshman Jr. · Charles Brackett

William Holden

William Holden

Joe Gillis

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Norma Desmond

Erich von Stroheim

Erich von Stroheim

Max von Mayerling

Nancy Olson

Nancy Olson

Betty Schaefer

Fred Clark

Fred Clark

Sheldrake

Lloyd Gough

Lloyd Gough

Morino

Jack Webb

Jack Webb

Artie Green

Court is in session

Put Sunset Boulevard on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.