Sunset Boulevard

The film opens with the camera sweeping along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, showing police cars racing towards a grand mansion. In the pool lies the lifeless body of Joe Gillis, who narrates the story leading up to his mysterious demise.

Six months before his death, Joe is depicted struggling to make a living as a screenwriter. With only a few mediocre films to his credit and facing financial ruin, Joe attempts to sell his latest script to a producer at Paramount Pictures but receives harsh criticism.

After being thwarted in his attempt to sell his script, Joe faces repossession of his car. While trying to evade the repo men, he encounters a flat tire and pulls into an abandoned mansion, only to hide his car in the garage.

Inside the mansion, Joe is mistakenly welcomed as an undertaker for a deceased pet chimp by the butler, Max. He meets the once-famous silent film star Norma Desmond, who expresses her ambition to return to acting and shares her dreadful script for a film adaptation of *Salome*.

Despite his honest opinion about the script, Joe flatters Norma and secures work as her editor. This marks the beginning of his complicated relationship with her, as he settles into her mansion and becomes her confidant.

As their relationship deepens, Norma goes all out to celebrate a private New Year's Eve with Joe, showering him with attention and gifts. However, Joe becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the romantic feelings Norma develops for him.

Feeling overwhelmed by Norma's affections, Joe escapes to a party hosted by his friend Artie Green, where he finds encouragement in a script he had been developing with Betty. This moment reinforces his desire to pursue his own career over his ties with Norma.

After Joe's departure, he learns of Norma's serious suicide attempt, which compels him to return to her side. This return leads Joe to apologize, resulting in an intense encounter that deepens their bond while complicating his feelings towards her.

Norma completes the script and eagerly submits it to director Cecil B. DeMille. Tension escalates as she refuses to answer calls from the studio, convinced that DeMille will revive her career, despite Max's warnings about the script’s poor reception.

Joe secretly collaborates with Betty on a screenplay, leading to tension when Norma discovers the truth. Confronting Betty, Norma attempts to assert her dominance and protect her feelings towards Joe, resulting in emotional turmoil for all involved.

Faced with the reality of Norma's delusions, Joe confronts her, stating that her career is over and that the fan mail she treasures is fake. This harsh truth ignites Norma's rage, culminating in a violent confrontation as she feels betrayed.

In a fit of jealousy and anger, Norma shoots Joe as he attempts to leave, leading to his death in the pool. This tragic moment crystallizes the ultimate price of her delusions and the dark reality of discarded fame.

As the film comes full circle, police arrive at the mansion to discover Joe's body. Norma, unable to grasp the reality of her actions, believes the police are there to film a movie, showcasing her tragic detachment from the world around her.

In the concluding scenes, Joe narrates the aftermath, reflecting on how Norma's dreams and fantasies have completely consumed her. Her iconic line, 'All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up,' echoes the poignant tragedy of a forgotten star clinging to her faded glory.