Hollywood Looks at Hollywood – Films to Stream II
Sunset Boulevard 1950 Directed by Billy Wilder. If you missed this classic you’re not a real film fan. Struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) is drawn like a fly into the web of demented Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a faded silent screen star living in a fantasy world. Belief in a comeback is perpetuated by butler/ex- husband, Max von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim – wonderful). Joe leaves his work, friends, and a girl behind to play Desmond’s gigolo (with no hint of sex), ostensibly rewriting a script for Salome, reaping gifts. Telling Norma the truth results in tragedy. Regarded as a fictional composite inspired by such as Norma Talmadge, Mae Murray and Clara Bow. Best Story and Screenplay Academy Awards.
S.O.B. 1981 A black comedy directed by Blake Edwards. Hugely successful film director Felix Farmer (Richard Mulligan) is suicidal after his first major flop. (Successive attempts are satirically deft.) Drugged to prevent another episode, Felix has an epiphany during a party that becomes something of an orgy: his film lacks sex! He persuades the studio and his wife of squeaky-clean image, Sally Miles (Julie Andrews, Edwards’ wife), to reshoot it as a pornographic musical. (Think Springtime for Hitler excess.)
They go forward, but both the studio and Sally have second thoughts. The film is confiscated. When Felix tries to steal it back, he’s shot by a guard. His friends steal Felix’s body from the funeral home and…With William Holden, Robert Preston, Robert Vaughan, Larry Hagman, Shelly Winters. “S.O.B.” (in the film) stands for “Standard Operational Bullshit.” The story parallels the experiences of Edwards and Andrews in their infamous failure, Darling Lili, intended to reveal Andrews’ heretofore unseen sexy side.
The Muse 1999 Directed by Albert Brooks. After receiving a lifetime achievement award, screenwriter Steven Phillips (Brooks) feels his career is over. At wits end, he asks advice of successful peer Jack (Jeff Bridges), who arranges an introduction to Sarah (Sharon Stone), a modern-day muse he says can inspire anyone. Sarah is compensated with expensive gifts. Between homes, she lands in Steven’s guest house much to the chagrin of his suspicious wife (Andie MacDowell) and then in a pricey hotel room while the Phillips redecorate, and then in his home. Just as he doubts her, she’s visited by such as Martin Scorsese and James Cameron playing themselves.
Despite costing him a fortune, Sarah does indirectly lead Steven to a marketable idea. She also expands his wife’s horizons encouraging her to go into what becomes a successful business. Unfortunately someone else sells Steven’s story first (wink, wink). Still Sarah, or whoever she is really, comes to the rescue. Clever concept, amusing and never twee.
The Player 1992 Directed by Robert Altman. Studio executive Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins), who greenlights a dozen out of thousands of pitches a year, begins to receive threatening postcards from what seems to be a disgruntled screenwriter. Tracking back through appointments and rejections, Griffin finds and murders what turns out to be the wrong man. Meanwhile he’s fallen in love with the victim’s painter girlfriend (Greta Scacchi) Threats keep coming. His job seems in jeopardy. With a great deal of calculated manipulation, he manages to come out on top. Then, the postcard writer gets in touch.
Fred Ward, Whoopie Goldberg, Dina Merrill, Lyle Lovett, Peter Gallagher, Dean Stockwell, Richard E. Grant, Sidney Pollack, Gina Gershon, Vincent D’Onofrio- lots of celebrities playing themselves. Great script. Twisty story. Good acting.
Hollywoodland 2006 Directed by Alan Coulter A fictionalized account of the circumstances surrounding the death of actor George Reeves (Ben Affleck) the star of the 1950s Superman series. Studio executive Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) knows his wife Toni (Diane Lane) is having an affair with Reeves who apparently didn’t know she was married, let alone to whom. Eddie hires fictive detective Louis Simo (Adrian Brody) –our narrator- to track them. Toni
convinces Reeves she has an open relationship. The actor becomes a kept man with a major tv series, but can’t live with himself. When the series is canceled, he finds another, younger, single woman- and is found dead. Three scenarios are conjectured. The detective reexamines his own values. Very 1950s noir.
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