yes4albert (September 28, 2008 at 6:26 pm)

I love it too, Joe. This scene is genius and she is brilliant. Swanson takes an "over-the-top" character and fills it with life and emotion, completely believable and heartbreaking. This reminds me of what is missing in films today...interesting characters, strong choices, something to remember forever. I meet more interesting characters on a daily basis than I see represented in stories today. Anyway, she is absolute magic in every scene and she should have won. If not her, then Davis.

joeocho88 (September 25, 2008 at 9:12 pm)

Swanson was AMAZING. She should have won the Oscar for this..the ENTIRE FILM SHOULD HAVE WON EVERY OSCAR AVAILABLE. MAX finally gets to direct his final scene and be the great director he always was...The dialog is a bit heavy-handed and the music is a bit of a satire of old epic film scores and tangos.The close up was a little scary which is why they call it NOIOR, I guess. I LOVE THIS FILM!

creolelady182 (September 17, 2008 at 2:42 am)

Swanson understood this character, but her life was nothing like Norma Desmond. Swanson after she retired from silent films had her own radio show in the 1950's. She also dabbled in fashion and wrote books. She was amodern dynamic woman and she said that the movies was just one aspect of her life. She said to many actresses could not distinquish between their celluloid image and their real image. Its very sad. "Sunset Bld" holds up in time. Excellent movie no doubt

VictorEmmanuell (September 16, 2008 at 5:21 am)

one of the greatest, sadest and poetic moments on cinema....a truly classic....bigger than american cinema....but a world classic....after fifty years and still chills you up!!!!

VictorEmmanuell (September 16, 2008 at 5:15 am)

No, it's not true....I read on Billy Wilder biography that he wanted by first choice Mae West for this role.....but she didn't want it 'cause she said "I'm not play a decadent actress on screen!!!!

greedygretch (September 7, 2008 at 2:33 am)

True.

greedygretch (September 7, 2008 at 2:33 am)

Classic. It is so true no1bratnaustin. Life imitating art. Madanna once said that after concerts, being in front of thousands of people, she would go to her hotel room all alone. That has to have an emotional affect on a person....

no1bratnaustin (August 10, 2008 at 1:56 am)

Though Hollywood rises it stars and yanks them down much faster than before, not much has changed in 60 years. Norma could easily be one of the many stars of today who haven risen and fallen: Britney, Lindsay, Anna Nicole, Liza, Liz Taylor, Michael Jackson. And Hedda of course is Perez. And Max represents all of the personal assistants who just tell these stars that they are fabulous all the time and fuel their crazyness.

drdirocco (August 9, 2008 at 5:42 pm)

What struck me is this is the only time in the film Max calls her Norma, not Madam.

east215 (August 9, 2008 at 6:32 am)

They wanted Joan Crawford fot this role - UGH!