Boulevard! A Hollywood Story

Billy Wilder’s 1950 movie Sunset Boulevard sealed the deal as one of the best film noirs of all time. Boulevard! A Hollywood Story investigates the story of the ill-fated musical adaptation of the movie devised by the film’s star, and gay icon, Gloria Swanson.

Director, Jeffrey Schwarz, speaks to a number of Swanson superfans, friends, associates and even her granddaughter, and gets a fascinating insight into the star, who spent many years trying to distance herself from Norma’s character. A most compelling part of the film– and, essentially, its driving force – are the long-forgotten interview tapes of Richard Stapely and Dickson Hughes, the co-creators (and one-time lovers) of the musical. Their interviews, coupled with retro-animated re-enactments, charted how they and Swanson worked for four years together on an ultimately doomed project. Their journey culminated in a fateful 3-month retreat in Palm Springs, that derailed both the project and their relationship, as the lines between Gloria and Norma began to blur... It’s time for your close-up audiences!