SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

quantreal2 Right away you feel transported to another Dimension. A Hollywood Universe unlike you've ever seen before. Now Watch this film!

giora77 What a wonderful and witty script, filled with cynicism and an immaculate set up of two characters-Joe Gillis and Norma Desmond-who are so different that they perfectly drive each other deeper into each other's hubris. The more I learned about the history of that time, and the wise allegory the film makes so ahead of its time, the more I appreciate this cinematic gem. It's hard to know where to begin. The larger than life settings are awesome in the true sense of the word: from the formidable and grotesque mansion (with more trinkets than those owned by the world's best hoarders), to the real film sets in Paramount Studios, and the humdrum writing office turned into a courting stage filled with spark and excitement. The acting is fantastic, and Gloria Swanson seems to have been born for this part-perhaps her creation of Norma was inspired by her own experience, being a silent film star herself.The intelligent plot and character development brings both Desmond and Gillis to self-destruct, and bury each other further in delusions, while staying entirely convincing throughout. The misery of both of them, and their consequent desperation and need for each other, makes the viewer even more engrossed in the picture and the inevitable fate of the two.There are not enough words to describe the magnificence and precociousness of this film-it simply needs to be experienced and taken in. How lucky to have been able to watch it on the big screen! Thank you TCM.

pdortic This is a movie that shattered the pure image of classic Hollywood. It takes on the fact of their ideal image of beauty and the effect on women when they no longer fit that standard. The film follows a start that has fallen from her golden thrown and her deep seated struggles when all she has ever known is gone. To further complicate this there is of course relationship drama. This is a great movie to start off the 1950's and encompasses a classic film noir.

kennykip This film encompasses the Noir style of filmmaking, the dark tones of the movie with the flashbacks and underlying mystery of it all just draws the viewer in. i would definitely recommend this movie to some one who is a fan of Noir style films and has not yet seen this one. the way that this film depicts the industry and how actors and actresses are portrayed in this film are years and years ahead of their time.