Sunset Blvd was produced in 1950 and tells the tale of an aging Hollywood star and her lost youth and career.
Its director, Billy Wilder, directed other iconic films and Sunset Blvd was awarded three oscars. The setting for the film, as the title may suggest, is the classic boulevard running through Beverley Hills in Los Angeles. For many this is associated with money, opulence and fame.
Lead man William Holden is the little know screenplay writer and Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson is the faded, jaded movie star with a forgotten career.
Holden wants to be rich and famous and comes with the same dream of many a starry eyed writer drawn to the city. However, his debts are huge and the streets are not paved with gold. His checks bounce and his debts are never ending. Desmond needs to have a screenplay written which she hopes will jump start her career and Joe needs money. So they begin a mutually convenient relationship which quickly transpires into a romantic affair.