Tropes and Elements within Sunset Boulevard (excluding the femme fatale)
Sunset Boulevard uses cinematography techniques, particularly chiaroscuro lighting, to create an ominous sense of foreboding throughout the whole film. Norma’s house is heavily antiquated, with ornate furnishings and candles providing uneven lighting. Even before Norma reveals herself to be deeply mentally disturbed, the harsh contrast in lighting makes the audience feel uneasy and Sunset Boulevard gives off a sinister impression. Paired with other elements such as the large metal gates, Norma’s house gives off an almost gothic prison like feel, which is reflective of how Joe feels when he begins to be trapped in Norma’s hold.
Speaking of Joe, although he’s not a detective, Joe Gillis is the epitome of the hard-boiled cynic featured in so many Noir Films. He has an excellently sarcastic narrative voice, with lines that jab at the movie industry such as “that’s where the popcorn business comes in. You buy yourself a bag and plug up your ears”. Even when narrating the scene of his own death, he sounds matter of fact. As the main character of the movie, Joe Gillis reflects many worries of society during that time. As a struggling writer in Hollywood that used to be considered talented but now has no inspiration, he reflects the economic hardship, uncertainty, and post-war disillusionment of much of society. Through accepting his role as Norma’s gigolo for a “shortcut” out of poverty, he also reflects the film noir trope of character’s dealing with the dark side of society out of desperation and greed. (although I’m pretty sure most noir characters committed crime rather than enter inappropriate relationships with a much older woman). Joe and all other characters (basically the whole Sunset Boulevard story) are also chock full of post-war pessimism. The whole affair centered around Joe and Norma (but also involving Max and Betty) is a moral gray ground, where it is unclear who is the controller and the controlled. Furthermore, although Joe arguable redeems himself by deciding to leave Norma at the end of the film, he spends most of the film unheroically leeching off Norma’s wealth and obsession with him. The whole film is also a critique on the Hollywood industry, making jabs at the transition from silent to sound films, depicting struggling writers and actors, and of course, showing Norma’s descent into madness that begins from her ungraceful fall out of fame in Hollywood.
Femme Fatale – Norma Desmond
The Femme Fatale is a character archetype that appears in several Noir Films, including Sunset Boulevard. Traditionally, a femme fatale is a “mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into…deadly traps” (Wikipedia contributors). Faded film star Norma Desmond can be considered the femme fatale. When Joe first stumbles upon Sunset Boulevard, Norma appears as a mysterious, wealthy lady. Like most femme fatales, she is strong willed and confident, getting what she wants. Once she has set her mind on Joe, she demands him to stay to read her manuscript, and prepares a room for him in the afternoon, knowing that she can guide their interactions to lead to him staying over.
During Joe’s stay in Sunset Boulevard, Norma is controlling, treating Joe like a pet. Like traditional tropes involving the femme fatale, Joe walks a thin line with his interactions with Norma, believing that he has the upper hand on the situation, only to pay the ultimate price for getting involved too deep with this femme fatale.
However, Norma’s “charms” and “wiles” cannot keep him from being attracted to younger woman Betty Schaefer. Consequently, if we strip back the lethal, controlling façade of Norma Desmond, all that is left are aging and rotten illusions. Although Norma aims to seduce Joe, the main reason he stays with Norma is her wealth, calling her “foolish and very generous”, which implies that he benefits off her generous spending. If not for the comfort of life she supplies Joe, he would have left Norma for Betty, which with whom he has much more chemistry and shared interest. In turn, Norma begins to feel insecure, on multiple occasions begging Joe to stay, and trying to entertain him.
Norma appears to be less mysterious and more vulnerable. Max explains that the house is kept lock, sleeping pill, and razor free to prevent Norma’s relapse of suicide attempts during “moments of melancholy”. She is kept in an echo chamber by Max and later Joe where she believes that she is the greatest star, and that the whole of Hollywood is waiting for her comeback. Whenever Joe attempts to challenge and shatter her illusions, she becomes angry, and subsequently mad. In the end, although Joe dies because of her, it’s not because she is totally in power and control of the situation and manipulates/blackmails him to his downfall. Rather, she loses all power and control over the situation with Joe and over her own sanity and shoots him.
Thus, the character of Norma Desmond combines both traditional elements of the femme fatale with a new spin. Joe’s choice to stay with her because of her money highlights themes in Sunset Boulevard such as manipulation. Juxtaposing Norma’s control of Joe yet apparent mental delusions about her current situation shows the cruelty of Hollywood draining their stars and then abandoning them, and how dangerous lies can be.