ABSTRACT
There are several striking aspects to the narrative of Sunset Boulevard. First of all, feminists notice that the female star is portrayed as a particularly vicious character, a literal femme fatale. Furthermore, the story line is noteworthy for its emphasis on an aging actress—a movie queen over the veritable hill. Sunset Boulevard, in fact, shares this obsession with almost all backstage melodramas, which, similarly, focus on the female performer past her prime. The horrific portrayal of Norma Desmond is also accomplished by an emphasis on her old age. For vampires are, typically, ancient creatures, unable to die—destined to be, forever, "undead". No better word can characterize the position of Norma Desmond, who is technically alive, yet mired in a state of suspended animation. There is another kind of "doubling" involved in the film that pertains to the real actress, Gloria Swanson. Sunset Boulevard was, in many respects, a great triumph for Gloria Swanson.
