Film Noir Assignment
1--How is the mood of Sunset Boulevard representative of the Film Noir style?
The mood of the film is immediately established as decadent and decaying by the posthumous narrator - a dead man floating face-down in a swimming pool in Beverly Hills. As we fade backward into the story, we quickly come to understand that this film is about "behind the scenes" Hollywood, self-deceit, spiritual and spatial emptiness, and the price of fame, greed, narcissism, and ambition. We see from the beginning that Joe is a struggling screen writer who cannot even afford to make his car payments, and is desperate for help from anyone to sell one of his scripts. As Joe continues on his path, the mood of the film becomes grimmer as more happens to Joe, and winds up in Norma’s house; who is depressed and highly suicidal. This film depicts Joe in traditional film noir style as we quickly see that he is somewhat of an innocent man momentarily and fatally tempted by luxury in this dark and sadistic film.
2--Does the protagonist follow the "pattern" typically set for this style of film?
In my opinion, Joe did not follow …show more content…
Betty proved to be dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving woman, all aspects of a female role in a film noir picture. She showed devotion when after seeing how Joe lived still wanted to take Joe away and love him regardless of the previous situation with Norma. Norma played the role as a femme fatale as she showed characteristics of being double crossing when she called Betty to tell her about how Joe really lived, unloving, irresponsible, manipulative in how she used her mental issues to control Joe, and how she continued to show desperation as she would always throw herself at Joe, especially in the scene where Joe comes back to her place and she is waiting outside of his bedroom door. Overall, each female character displayed the film noir style