I’m not always so easily persuaded to spend a night out at the cinema.
Usually, dinosaurs can do it (yep, “Jurassic Park”), since I’ve always been fascinated by these “thundering lizards” ever since I was a young lad with a vast plastic collection at play in our farm backyard sandbox. (Even as a boy, I could name and identify each one by their scientific tongue-twister names.)
Last Monday night, my co-workers convinced me to join them to see the 1950 black and white film classic by Paramount Pictures, “Sunset Boulevard” on “the big screen” at AMC 16 in Schererville. This was a one-night-only screening presented by Fathom Entertainment as part of their Fathom’s Big Screen Classics, as explained at www.fathomentertainment.com, with more special classic film screenings in the coming months.
This screening was scheduled in advance of this weekend’s celebration for the 75th anniversary of the film’s release on Aug. 10, 1950. Today, it holds the distinction of ranking No. 12 on the American Film Institute’s list of the “100 Best American Films” of the 20th Century.
I’ve seen the movie many times, while my co-workers were new to the movie. This film also holds a ranking as one of the favorites of my parents, as well as myself.
The AMC 16 anniversary screening included about 30 patrons in the audience, and the night began with a special recorded brief narration by bearded and bespeckled film critic Leonard Maltin, who is now 75.
Masterfully directed by Billy Wilder, who also assisted with writing the screenplay, it is the all-star iconic cast adding to the legendary success and long-lasting celebratory reputation of the film, which gives a harsh insider’s look into the dark underbelly industry insights of Hollywood’s studio star system and the fickle flavors of filmmaking throughout the decades.
Cast as the lead of faded 50-year-old silent film star Norma Desmond is the glorious Gloria Swanson, who was age 50 and an early star who lived and succeeded in the silent film industry but opted to retire when “talking pictures” became the transition rage. During the film, character Norma credits Greta Garbo as one of the few faces and talents still worthy of the Hollywood big screen. It’s an intended ironic twist since Swanson’s fellow retired contemporary Garbo was offered the role of Norma originally but turned it down, as did the silent era’s “It Girl” Clara Bow.
Cast as Norma’s unwilling yet compromising writer companion Joe Gillis is William Holden, who was 31 years old during filming. According to studio archives, other potential pairings cast for the roles of Norma and Joe under consideration were Norma Shearer opposite Fred MacMurray as well as Mary Pickford opposite Montgomery Clift, and Mae West paired with Marlon Brando.
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Rounding out the cast is Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer, a studio scriptwriter competing for Joe’s attention and affection, and Erich von Stroheim as Norma’s devoted butler Max, who once enjoyed earlier career success as Norma’s movie director during the silent film era. Delicious cameo appearances abound in the film with moments of Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and B.B. Warner (a trio of noted silent era film stars playfully referred to as “the waxworks” during the movie’s bridge card game scene), and director Cecil B. DeMille and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper portraying themselves.
An interesting fact I learned from watching the film screening is that I’d not realized the decaying mansion and estate used for the film’s exterior scenes was the real home that had belonged to eccentric billionaire J. Paul Getty of Getty Oil fame, and at the time was vacant for a decade but owned by Getty’s ex-wife. As viewers of the film know, the elaborate inground concrete swimming pool in the side courtyard plays a key plot point. However, the Getty mansion estate didn’t have a pool. Wilder got the Getty family to agree to have a full concrete pool installed, but minus the pumps and usual engineering since it was only needed for a few days of shooting.
It is said prior to the film being released, Swanson was granted permission to screen it for some of her closest friends and Hollywood contemporaries. According to Swanson, Mary Pickford left halfway through, and Barbara Stanwyck lamented the theme of a has-been Hollywood star.
Swanson, who died at age 84 in 1983, was used to making scandalous headlines, including whispers about her association as the mistress of Joseph Kennedy, the latter who was an early investor in RKO Movie Studios, later purchased by Howard Hughes. Swanson was nominated for an Academy Award for “Sunset Boulevard,” and she loved the story despite having to live her later years with the notion that she was just like the character she played so convincingly on screen.
Long before “Sunset Boulevard” was adapted into a Broadway Musical in 1994, Swanson was already promoting that same New York stage treatment for the story in the late 1960s. Carol Burnett resurrected interest in the characters from “Sunset Boulevard” when she joined co-star Harvey Korman to parody the characters for recurring skits on her popular 1970s variety show.
When I interviewed Carol Burnett a decade ago about Swanson, she reminded me that the actress welcomed the lampooning of her great character and found it comedically entertaining. Swanson herself was flattered to be a guest star during the 1973 season of Burnett’s show and was especially fond of getting to work with the show’s handsome supporting star, Lyle Waggoner. Burnett, 92, always a fan of the great movie stars of yesteryear, said only Swanson accepted her invitation to appear on her variety show, while other stars she also famously parodied from iconic movies, such as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, declined invites.
In an early scene in “Sunset Boulevard,” Norma has her butler wheel out a cart filled with what is described as “overly sweet champagne and chilled caviar.” With her busy Hollywood career (her final movie was the 1974 airplane disaster film “Airport 1975” playing herself), Swanson, who was born in Chicago, likely didn’t spend much time in a kitchen. However, a 1929 Photoplay magazine cookbook includes her recipe for an easy “cream-based fudge,” which has a butterscotch flavor. Best of all, it only has four ingredients. But be warned! It’s even sweeter than Norma’s favorite bubbly.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected] or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Gloria Swanson’s Easy Cream Fudge
Makes scant 1 pound of fudge
1 1/2 pounds light brown sugar
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
Butter, as needed
Directions:
Combine sugar and cream in a heavy saucepan and whisk to combine as heated over boiling water in double boiler.
Heat until sugar granules are dissolved. Test candy temperature by dropping a small amount from the tip of a teaspoon into a glass of cold water and a “soft ball stage” is achieved.
Continue to beat well, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and fold in pecans.
Generously butter a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet and pour fudge and spread evenly.
Allow to set-up to firm in cool place on kitchen counter or in refrigerator.
Once fudge candy is firm, break apart into pieces and store in canister.