As readers, television viewers, and film goers, we
are exposed to hundreds or even thousands of characters, each living in their
own unique world. While most of these characters fade from our memories, some
are so richly layered, well written, and expertly portrayed that they live on
in our minds for years, decades, and in truly iconic instances generations. One
such character is the tragic heroine of the 1950 noir masterpiece Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond. As
portrayed by actress Gloria Swanson, Norma is a talented, unique, woman who is
so consumed by her past successes that she is letting her present pass her by.
While Norma’s acting career ended years before the events of Sunset Boulevard
take place, she remains a truly unforgettable character who is, and always will
be big.
 |
| There's no adoration like self adoration |
1. SHE IS RELATABLE: Despite
the many very ugly actions that she commits, there is still something strangely
endearing about Norma Desmond; her resonance within real life. Our society
values youth, fame, and desirability above all else, all qualities that
can only last for a limited time. As a result, many people find themselves
faced with a crossroads when they reach a stage in their lives in which they
have lost those attributes. This crossroads can become a full-on crises of
identity for those who are unable to see beyond the shallowness of these social
values, and no group is more susceptible to the pressures of these values than
those whose very livelihood depend upon these superficial standards; entertainers. Even today, stars are often considered to be in
their prime before they have reached their mid-twenties, and this standard is
especially damning for women in the entertainment industry. While male actors
such as Cary Grant and George Clooney have gone on to continue playing romantic
leads well into their middle age, actresses are often reduced to cameo roles as
wives and mothers who serve little function in a film’s plot. This double
standard was as much in place in Norma Desmond’s heyday as it is now, making
her struggle to accept the end of her all too brief career a chillingly
relatable example for today’s entertainers. In an age of botox parties, TMZ, and
Youtube celebrities, the desperate need for, and seemingly endless addiction to attention,
youth, and temporary pleasures that fuels Norma Desmond’s descent into deluded
madness remains as startlingly relevant and ominous now as it was over sixty
years ago.
2. SHE IS A TRENDSETTER: While she is portrayed in the film as a living
relic of the past, Norma has proven herself to be a groundbreaking trendsetter
in the decades since the film’s original release. In the years immediately
following Sunset Boulevard’s debut, a plethora of films detailing the decaying
influence of Hollywood were released in an effort to capitalize upon the film’s
success. While these films contained differing plots and actors they all had
one thing in common; leading roles that were thinly veiled recreations of Norma
Desmond. Even today, Sunset Boulevard remains consistent fuel for imitation and
parody with television episodes, plays, and novels continuing to exploit the
notion of a past legend trapped in their own past even today.
 |
| You can't blame Joe Gillis for not wanting to wake up next to those crazy eyes |
3. SHE IS SOMEONE WE COULD ALL LEARN
FROM: Regardless of how mesmerizing her story is, Norma
Desmond is a person that most of us shudder at the thought of imitating. Her
warped tale of delusion and decadence can all be summarized by her tragic
weakness; her inability to live in the present. Like Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby,
Norma convinces herself that she can repeat the successes of her past and
spends her days locked away from the world in a stubborn effort to maintain this
fallacy. While her efforts are exaggerated, her motives are all too familiar,
as all of us are faced with moments in which we long to escape to happier
moments in our pasts. When overcome, this longing fades into mere nostalgia,
but when left unchecked this same yearning can color our presents as pale
imitations of an exaggerated past. While Norma’s dilemma highlights the
fixation upon past successes in the entertainment industry, the tendency to
measure the present unfavorably against the past is a flaw that people of all
ages, occupations, and lifestyles can identify with. As a result, Norma’s
tragic end remains an example of what can happen when nostalgia is followed through
to an illogical extent and serves as a warning that all of us could learn from
against the dangers of living in the past.
 |
| Cinema's most infamous close-up |
Very Informative reveiw
ReplyDelete