Norma Demond’s Mansion in Sunset Blvd (1950)

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As far as envy goes, I think it’s safe to admit that people have always admired the interior of fancy hollywood homes; fancy pools, luscious living spaces, ridiculous decor, crazy things that only ‘Hollywood people’ can have all make up the spectacle, but almost never do ordinary people actually get an intimate glimpse on the inside.

However with the 1950 film noir Sunset Blvd, we do! Yes- we get to see the inside of one of the most insane mansions in Tinsel town- and it belongs to Miss Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) (yes- she was a star, remember, in all of the Max Von Mayerling directed silents?) To tell us about the house, I have a first hand account of  the memories of Joe Gillis’ (William Holden), a screenwriter who saw all the details of Miss Desmond’s now famous residence.Miss Desmond’s residence is located on Sunset Blvd, and according to Mr Joe Gillis he describes her home as ‘a great big white elephant of a place.‘

Mr Gillis spend a lot of time in the company of Norma’s house- much more than he ever imagined- and admits that while Miss Desmond’s place may be one that”crazy movie people built in the crazy 20s” on the outside, on the inside it’s “run down and deserted” going as far to say the house was ‘neglected’ with an ‘unhappy look’ with the place “crumbling apart in slow motion” .

    

On the onset, yes- Norma has it all, complete with a projector and home theater, a tennis court with “faded markings and a sagging net”, and ‘of course a pool- as who doesn’t!

Inside, Miss Desmond is quite the decorator- making sure you would never forget its *her* house

It’s complete with insane things- like her bed!

And of course what tour of Desmond’s house would be complete without the legendary staircase, with Norma’s infamous announcement that “she’s ready for her close-up.”

Unfortunately, Mr Gillis is no longer here with us to tell us more about the house, but that can’t stop you from forming your own opinions! Make sure to (re-) watch Sunset Blvd and pay extra attention to Miss Desmond’s crazy mansion!!!