by George Jobson

Jul 10, 2002

A few months ago, Billy Wilder died at age 92. We in the film business lost a very smert genius, whom unlike most people in the business took the movies he made very serously. One of my favorite movies by Wilder came out in 1950 which is titled "Sunset Boulevard," which he co-wrote. The film is a tribute to Hollywood when the silent era is at it's golden age in the 1920's.

The love of old movies had bounded together a screenwriter Joe Grills played by William Holden and a fading movie star name Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson who sees a comeback in her future. When I review "Big Fat Liar" a few months ago, I called it a slapstick version of "Sunset Boulevard." Perhaps I made a mistake. Perhaps I shouldn't compare "Sunset Boulevard" to anything. That film should have achieve the level of greatness, by not being compared to anything.

My favorite lines came from Desmond,"I am big! It's the pictures that got small!" and "I'm ready for my close-up!' The screenplay is top-notch. The movie is told though the point of view of Gillis, who is dead when the film open.

"Sunset Boulevard" is more than 50 years old, but the ideas that came from that movie is still fresh today. It stood the test of time. Don't be scared away by a old movie like "Sunset Boulevard," be drawn by the ideas of the film. It's must-see cinema. See it Today!