It's not every movie that begins with its main character and star facedown in a pool. But then again, Sunset Boulevard is not every movie. When we first meet Joe Gillis, he's already dead—his cor...

Back in the day, when Norma built it at the peak of her celebrity, this mansion was quite the spectacle. A happening hub for Hollywood. "Grim Sunset Castle”But, like her pool, it's fallen on hard...

Yes. You read that right: monkey funeral. Allow Shmoop to explain. When Joe first pulls into Norma's driveway, trying to escape the repo men, Norma thinks that he's the undertaker for her pet monke...

We all have one of those writer-type friends. You know, the ones with delusions of grandeur? A dream of writing the great American novel about absolutely nothing at all? And Sunset Boulevard has on...

Admit it: If you were a once-famous movie star, you'd totally do this. Who could resist seeing yourself on the big screen?But the problem with Norma is that she takes it too far. See, Norma likes t...

Because of her past suicide attempts, Norma's doctors have recommended that none of the doors in her house have locks—so she can't lock herself in a room and kill herself: MAX: There are no locks...

Betty's all about the magic. She digs all the unreal film sets and movie magic of Hollywood: Since she grew up in a movie business family, she feels totally at home: "Look at this street. All cardb...