History Film / SunsetBoulevard

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Paramount producer Sheldrake turned down GoneWithTheWind because he thought nobody would watch another Civil War picture.

** It's strongly implied, and among the production crew outright stated, that Norma has been using her pet monkey as a surrogate lover. Which means that [[FridgeLogic the unfortunate Joe caught her on the rebound]].

* BitingTheHandHumor / RealitySubtext: TheMovie. Studios were very aware of all the {{Take That}}s and {{In Joke}}s in the film. Most were not amused and many were wary of the subversiveness of the film.

** "We gave them new ways to dream."

* {{Fanservice}}: Audiences have delivered wolf whistles at the sight of the bathing suit-clad Joe climbing out of the pool. Occasionally, this leads to a little BreakingTheFourthWall as the actor will fully acknowledge this with a little preening and strutting.

* AsHimself: Creator/CecilBDeMille and Hedda Hopper play themselves.

** Norma may see her first meeting with Joe this way, but he mostly views her as an annoying meal-ticket.*

Some months earlier, Joe, a screenwriter down on his luck, is blindly fleeing his creditors, during which he winds up in what appears to be an abandoned mansion, only to find that silent movie great Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) still lives there with her Austrian manservant, Max von Mayerling (Creator/ErichVonStroheim). The delusional Norma believes that her adoring fans still desperately want her to return to the screen, more than two decades after the advent of "talkies" have obsoleted her and every other silent-film star on the block. Once Norma learns that Joe is a screenwriter, she offers him room, board and refuge from his creditors...in exchange for his help in revising the truly hopeless screenplay she's been writing for twenty years to prepare for her [[strike:comeback]] [[InsistentTerminology return.]]

Some months earlier, Joe, blindly fleeing his creditors, winds up in what appears to be an abandoned mansion, only to find that silent movie great Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) still lives there with her Austrian manservant, Max von Mayerling (Creator/ErichVonStroheim). The delusional Norma believes that her adoring fans still desperately want her to return to the screen, more than two decades after the advent of "talkies" have obsoleted her and every other silent-film star on the block. Once Norma learns that he's a screenwriter, she offers him room, board and refuge from his creditors...in exchange for his help in revising the truly hopeless screenplay she's been writing for twenty years to prepare for her [[strike:comeback]] [[InsistentTerminology return.]]

* FamousLastWords: "All right, Mr. De Mille. I'm ready for my close-up."
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The plot of Norma's screenplay "Salome" mirrors Norma's "relationship" with Joe.

** The salesman's line, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw9Ski5DJMA Well, as long as the lady's paying for it, why not pick the vicuna?]]" underlines the fact that Joe is, in fact, Norma's gigolo.

* GreenEyedMonster
* GreyAndGrayMorality

** Certain producers - notably Louis Mayer of [=MGM=] - weren't thrilled when the movie was made, worrying it would belittle Hollywood and insult film-makers.

* LoveMakesYouCrazy

* LoveMakesYouEvil
* LoveTriangle: Except that Joe doesn't love Norma, he just has to appear to in order to keep her happy.
** Possibly a LoveDodecahedron once you factor in Betty's fiance.
*** [[spoiler:And then there's Max...]]

* MeetCute: Joe and Betty (although for them, at the time, it's more "mortifying" than "cute"). Then it's subverted in a dozen different ways.

* SceneryPorn: The whole film is exquisitely shot, often on vast and intricate sets.

* AllTakeAndNoGive: Gillis takes because Norma gives and ''gives.''

* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous final line is often misquoted as "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. [=DeMille=]" when it's actually, "Alright, Mr. [=DeMille=], I'm ready for my close-up".

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* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous final line is often misquoted as "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille" when it's actually, "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up".

* AsHimself: Creator/CecilBDeMille and Hedda Hopper play themselves. Norma's bridge partners, whom Joe dubs "The Waxworks," are also played by once-famous silent film stars (such as Creator/BusterKeaton) who are credited as themselves.

In 1993, it was adapted into [[TheMusical a musical]] by Creator/AndrewLloydWebber. The Broadway premiere starred Creator/GlennClose, and The 1996 Australian premiere in Melbourne showcased a relative unknown named Creator/HughJackman, who played Joe Gillis opposite Debra Byrne as Norma Desmond, who, at the time, was ironically Australia's own WhiteDwarfStarlet. It won the 1995 Tony Award for Best Musical, in a year in which [[DamnedByFaintPraise only one other show was even nominated]].

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The film is in black and white, which wasn't by any means unusual in 1950 but wasn't strictly necessary either.

* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous final line is often misquoted as "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille" when it's actually, "Aright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up".

* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous final line is often misquoted as "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille" when it's actually, "Okay, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up".

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'''The musical also contains examples of:'''

Some months earlier, Joe, blindly fleeing his creditors, winds up in what appears to be an abandoned mansion, only to find that silent movie great Norma Desmond (Creator/GloriaSwanson) still lives there with her Austrian manservant, Max von Mayerling (Creator/ErichVonStroheim). The delusional Norma believes that her adoring fans still desperately want her to return to the screen, more than two decades after the advent of "talkies" have obsoleted her and every other silent-film star on the block. Once Norma learns that he's a screenwriter, she offers him room, board and refuge from his creditors...in exchange for his help in revising the truly hopeless screenplay she's been writing for twenty years to prepare for her [[strike:comeback]] [[InsistentTerminology return.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: [=DeMille=]'s assistant, who is needlessly cruel in offering to give Norma the brush-off, which the director chastises him for. The same assistant also rather tactless about Norma's age, but backtracks when [=DeMille=] points out that he's old enough to be her father.

* ForgedMessage: The fan letters that Norma had been getting over the years were actually written by her butler Max to spare her from the fact that the public had forgotten her.

* WritersSuck: Joe sells out his talent more or less for a quick buck and a place to stay, eventually leading to his death.

* ViewersAreMorons: Joe's narration at the end about Norma's mental state is completely unnecessary.

* CutSong: "[[http://www.rayevans.org/music/song.cfm?tSong_id=1394 The Paramount Don't Want Me Blues]]"