Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard: Billy Wilder, Norma Desmond, and the Dark Hollywood Dream

by Sam Staggs

Book Overview

Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard , a classic film noir and also a damning dissection of the Hollywood dream factory, evokes the glamour and ruin of the stars who subsist on that dream. It's also one long in-joke about the movie industry and those who made it great-and who were, in turn, destroyed by it. One of the most critically admired films of the twentieth century, Sunset Boulevard is also famous as silent star Gloria Swanson's comeback picture...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031227453X
• ISBN13: 9780312274535
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Can Not Recommend

This is not so much about the making of Sunset Blvd as it is the personal thoughts of the author, often about what would happen if such-and-such happened etc. and his personal affliction for the Norma Desond character. I was greatly disappointed and gave it to the local library without finishing it.

Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up....

is a famous line from the darkly camp classic, Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard". Sam Staggs book manages to recreate the story behind the film, not only the making of it, but the world which existed during the making of it. Hollywood itself is a major player in "Sunset", that artificial and arrogant place, dasher of dreams, and fame beholder.In Stagg's first book, "All About All About Eve", the author seemed to dwell too much on minutia and ponitless facts (his fascination with Zsa Zsa Gabor's hair color still resonates with me), but now he seems to have learned his lesson. Close Up is rich with information, and moves along at a brisk pace, chapters closing, leaving with you the feeling of wanting more. He recounts the making of the film in a somewhat linear fashion, moving along topics as they seemingly come up. You learn about the great Gloria Swanson's involvement with the film, and the role she played in shaping the great Norma herself. Cecil B. DeMille comes across as a great, crusty old man. Nancy Olson, one of the surviving actors, brings her personal stories and charm to the book.Stagg's sense of humor was enjoyable throughout the book. A couple of times, I found myself laughing outloud at some of his comments. While I agree with a reviewer's claim that he does inject himself into the book, it didn't bother me. It's a story of Sunset Blvd. but also a story about how he came to find out all the information; both are interesting.In the end, I had trouble putting down this book. Staggs learned much from his thick opus "All About Eve", thank goodness for bringing this classic movie back to life.

Ready For This Close-up!

This is a fantastic book on the behind-the-scenes evolution and influence of "Sunset Blvd.", one of the best movies in the history of film-making. Sam Staggs has once again delivered an exhaustively-researched and entertaining book on Hollywood. A companion of sorts to his earlier work, "All About All About Eve" (both were films in release in 1950 and resurrected the careers of great actresses, Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson), this book reveals the dark nature of noir and the bitter humor of black comedy. Staggs leaves no stone unturned in his examination of the works that came before and influenced "Sunset Blvd.", plus the works that came after, including the film's transformation into a successful Broadway musical (those chapters alone give enough dish for several books!). I cannot recommend this book enough to cinephiles and casual film fans alike!