Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/324654/a-few-words-about-sunset-boulevard-in-blu-ray/30#post_3998893
Could have used some zombies to make it better.
I was under the impression that Gloria Swanson played the part of a Zombie in this film...
Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/324654/a-few-words-about-sunset-boulevard-in-blu-ray/30#post_3998893
Could have used some zombies to make it better.
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon /t/324654/a-few-words-about-sunset-boulevard-in-blu-ray/30#post_3999344
I was under the impression that Gloria Swanson played the part of a Zombie in this film...
Yes, Norma Desmond is 50. Ouch!JohnMor said:Yeah, but it's about, like, old people. And it's black and white. Eeew.
It was pretty easy to purchase a gun back when this movie takes place. The movie was made in 1950, but I think it takes place some years earlier than that perhaps in the late 1940s. Gun laws were nothing compared to what they are today. Also, filmmakers and writers like Billy Wilder didn't worry about inconsistencies in storyline details. Their main focus was to tell an entertaining story and not worry about details like where did she get the gun. Hitchcock along with many of Wilder's contemporaries strongly believed in that film concept that most people wanted to be entertained and didn't care about story inconsistencies or lack of film details.I thought bumping this old thread would be better than starting a new one for this topic.
I watched Sunset Boulevard the other night for New Year's Eve. I've been a big fan of the film ever since I first saw it, so this isn't a complaint, more of an observation. I do have to spoil to get to my point, but for a 73 year old film, I think the statue of limitations on spoiler brackets has expired. So if for some reason anyone is actually reading this who hasn't seen the movie, you should go watch the movie.
With all that being said:
How did Norma buy a revolver?
She tells Joe that she bought it and seems to be implying it is a new purchase. She has already had multiple suicide attempts before the movie started, which resulted in Max taking all the locks off the doors and removing other things she could use to commit suicide. She has also actually attempted suicide during the events of the film at the point that the revolver is introduced, when she cut her wrists with Joe's razor after he rejected her love. She is clearly threatening to use the revolver on herself here as a means to keep Joe where she wants him. Of course, we know the revolver is ultimately used to kill Joe himself.
Obviously, money is no object, so I'm not questioning how she afforded it. But how would she have gotten it? Max drives her every place that she goes; I doubt she was even able to drive. He is doing everything he can in the movie to keep her alive, and I don't think she could have brought a revolver in there without him knowing about it. He always gives her what she wants without fail, but given his repeated attempts to prevent Norma from self-harm, I can't see him taking her out to buy a revolver or facilitating her getting one. So when did she buy it and where did she get it? It seems like something he would remove it from her access if he knew about it. She never mentions the revolver directly to Max, only to Joe. But it seems to me that there is very little going on in Norma's household that Max is not aware of. So her getting a gun in there and him doing nothing to prevent her from having access to it feels out of character for him.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Right. I didn't mean that she would run into any legal trouble obtaining it.It was pretty easy to purchase a gun back when this movie takes place. The movie was made in 1950, but I think it takes place some years earlier than that perhaps in the late 1940s. Gun laws were nothing compared to what they are today.
I understood that, I'm just saying obtaining a gun was pretty easy back then. Who knows if she really bought it as we're talking about a delusional woman.Right. I didn't mean that she would run into any legal trouble obtaining it.
Not recalling off-hand. What model gun was it, ie when was it produced?I thought bumping this old thread would be better than starting a new one for this topic.
I watched Sunset Boulevard the other night for New Year's Eve. I've been a big fan of the film ever since I first saw it, so this isn't a complaint, more of an observation. I do have to spoil to get to my point, but for a 73 year old film, I think the statue of limitations on spoiler brackets has expired. So if for some reason anyone is actually reading this who hasn't seen the movie, you should go watch the movie.
With all that being said:
How did Norma buy a revolver?
She tells Joe that she bought it and seems to be implying it is a new purchase. She has already had multiple suicide attempts before the movie started, which resulted in Max taking all the locks off the doors and removing other things she could use to commit suicide. She has also actually attempted suicide during the events of the film at the point that the revolver is introduced, when she cut her wrists with Joe's razor after he rejected her love. She is clearly threatening to use the revolver on herself here as a means to keep Joe where she wants him. Of course, we know the revolver is ultimately used to kill Joe himself.
Obviously, money is no object, so I'm not questioning how she afforded it. But how would she have gotten it? Max drives her every place that she goes; I doubt she was even able to drive. He is doing everything he can in the movie to keep her alive, and I don't think she could have brought a revolver in there without him knowing about it. He always gives her what she wants without fail, but given his repeated attempts to prevent Norma from self-harm, I can't see him taking her out to buy a revolver or facilitating her getting one. So when did she buy it and where did she get it? It seems like something he would remove it from her access if he knew about it. She never mentions the revolver directly to Max, only to Joe. But it seems to me that there is very little going on in Norma's household that Max is not aware of. So her getting a gun in there and him doing nothing to prevent her from having access to it feels out of character for him.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
I also saw Sunset on stage in LA. An extraordinary achievement.I was fortunate to attend a screening of Sunset Blvd and a book signing and presentation by Nancy Olson (Betty Shafer in the film) last month Considering it was filmed over 70 years ago, Nancy looked great gave a spicy talk.
I like the film a lot but completely lost it for Glenn Close in the musical version. The flying Sunset mansion was the most amazing thing I ever saw on a stage and the haunting musical score is stupendous. Sadly like most all Broadway shows, only terrible bootleg videos exist. There is one terrific pro recorded version that was broadcast during the pandemic. It was from UK and starred Ria Jones and Danny Mac. While it is only a concert version, Danny Mac's Joe Gillis is one of the best.
Here are a couple photos from the Sunset signing with Nancy Olson in LA. View attachment 169040 View attachment 169041
Plus in films of that era, when anyone was shown opening a drawer, there'd be a gun in it. Norma's house had plenty of drawers, so no problem.I understood that, I'm just saying obtaining a gun was pretty easy back then. Who knows if she really bought it as we're talking about a delusional woman.
I shot video of this event: Nancy Olson Livingston Interviewed by Alan K. Rode Prior to Sunset Blvd. Screening (11/19/22)I was fortunate to attend a screening of Sunset Blvd and a book signing and presentation by Nancy Olson (Betty Shafer in the film) last month Considering it was filmed over 70 years ago, Nancy looked great gave a spicy talk.
I like the film a lot but completely lost it for Glenn Close in the musical version. The flying Sunset mansion was the most amazing thing I ever saw on a stage and the haunting musical score is stupendous. Sadly like most all Broadway shows, only terrible bootleg videos exist. There is one terrific pro recorded version that was broadcast during the pandemic. It was from UK and starred Ria Jones and Danny Mac. While it is only a concert version, Danny Mac's Joe Gillis is one of the best.
Here are a couple photos from the Sunset signing with Nancy Olson in LA. View attachment 169040 View attachment 169041
Max may have bought her the revolver but not any bullets ...I thought bumping this old thread would be better than starting a new one for this topic.
I watched Sunset Boulevard the other night for New Year's Eve. I've been a big fan of the film ever since I first saw it, so this isn't a complaint, more of an observation. I do have to spoil to get to my point, but for a 73 year old film, I think the statue of limitations on spoiler brackets has expired. So if for some reason anyone is actually reading this who hasn't seen the movie, you should go watch the movie.
With all that being said:
How did Norma buy a revolver?
She tells Joe that she bought it and seems to be implying it is a new purchase. She has already had multiple suicide attempts before the movie started, which resulted in Max taking all the locks off the doors and removing other things she could use to commit suicide. She has also actually attempted suicide during the events of the film at the point that the revolver is introduced, when she cut her wrists with Joe's razor after he rejected her love. She is clearly threatening to use the revolver on herself here as a means to keep Joe where she wants him. Of course, we know the revolver is ultimately used to kill Joe himself.
Obviously, money is no object, so I'm not questioning how she afforded it. But how would she have gotten it? Max drives her every place that she goes; I doubt she was even able to drive. He is doing everything he can in the movie to keep her alive, and I don't think she could have brought a revolver in there without him knowing about it. He always gives her what she wants without fail, but given his repeated attempts to prevent Norma from self-harm, I can't see him taking her out to buy a revolver or facilitating her getting one. So when did she buy it and where did she get it? It seems like something he would remove it from her access if he knew about it. She never mentions the revolver directly to Max, only to Joe. But it seems to me that there is very little going on in Norma's household that Max is not aware of. So her getting a gun in there and him doing nothing to prevent her from having access to it feels out of character for him.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
The Interwebs say it may be aNot recalling off-hand. What model gun was it, ie when was it produced?
She may have had it since the teens or twenties.