The actors in this movie make it what it is. The storyline is strange and can be weird at times but the actors’ emotion and fluidity make the ever so impossible plot and storyline, seem as realistic as ever. Gloria Swanson (Norma Desmond) and William Holden (Joe Gillis) were unfazed by the unusual plot they had to illustrate to viewers and rather did it flawlessly. As a viewer you really believe you are watching in real life, such a indifferent love story take place before your eyes. I guess that’s what usually happens when you have a 2 time Oscar nominated actress and 2 time NBR Award winning actor in the same movie right? Not to mention the numerous awards they both won after this work including a best male nominated Oscar award and a best actress in a leading role Oscar winner by Swanson. …show more content…
A leading role and a major reason this movie was so strangely good, was played by Erich von Stroheim.
His character, Max the butler, was not only a perfect fit, but crucial in this film. Without him, this movie would have gone down as a freak show. His constant love for Norma, who he was once a director for-- in the movie and in real life, fueled the starvation for Norma’s fantasy to become real. Max, who was once a big time director and silent film star, once again both in the movie and real life, was reduced to being a butler for Norma in her shambled Mansion. His love for her however, keeps him there, feeding her illusions, forging her fan mail, and staying fiercely devoted to her greatness. Without his success, especially with Norma, in real life and in Sunset Boulevard, this movie wouldn’t feel the
same. Sunset Boulevard is one of the best drama’s I have seen to date. It sees through the illusions, even if Norma doesn’t. The plot has supplied Joe with many reason to accept Norma’s offer of a private screenwriter. He’s broke, behind on his rent, in position of his car being repossessed, and doesn’t want to go back to his newspaper gig in Dayton. He continuously goes through the forms of saying that he doesn’t want Norma’s gifts all though he takes them. For example, the gold cigeratte cases, the watches, the suits, clothes, shoes, and parties. He satisfies his greed in the exchange of knowing that Norma and her unrealistic self esteem, needs not only a writer but a younger man, to assure herself she is still attractive. Although life with Norma seems unhappy and impossible to deal with, that isn’t the case. She shows that she isn’t boring, and has some extravagance to her. She shows that she can be charming and entertaining. Like in every drama, there is another prettier, younger girl. Her name is Betty, who Joe meets early in the picture.
One of the main products of this movie that popped out to me was the stars. They all seemed to be great actors even though I only knew one of them. For example, I thought that Ian Michael Smith did a great job portraying Simon Birch. He made the movie cute and funny all at once. I also thought that Joseph Mazello did a great job portraying relatable feelings in the movie. You could tell by his facial expressions what his mood was. All the actors did a great job and I can’t pinpoint one of them who did worse than the
What is the true meaning of a hypocrite? A hypocrite is someone who opposes their own view by not acting upon what they are saying. For example, in J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, is a hypocrite because of how he contradicts his words with his actions. Holden's hypocrisy towards everyone around him is a result of being isolated from his family, continuing to cope with the death of his brother Allie, and not being able to accept hypocrisy in general.
Jerome David Salinger’s only novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is based on the life events shaping main character, Holden Caulfield, into the troubled teen that is telling the story in 1950. The theme of the story is one of emotional disconnection felt by the alienated teenagers of this time period. The quote, “ I didn’t know anyone there that was splendid and clear thinking and all” (Salinger 4) sets the tone that Holden cannot find a connection with anyone around him and that he is on a lonely endeavor in pursuit of identity, acceptance and legitimacy. The trials and failures that Holden faces on his journey to find himself in total shed light on Holden’s archenemy, himself.
Holden Caulfield is the narrator of the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. At first introduction, Holden is very judgemental about different characters and seems annoyed about his life. At times, the narrator is rude and has a sarcastic tone towards others when speaking. Holden would be a friend of mine because I enjoy the company of a friend who makes corny jokes.
As Holden Caulfield interacts with others and meets new challenges, he reveals his innermost feelings throughout The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Some may interpret his behaviors as teenage angst, but others find that Holden reveals traits of a mental disorder. Specifically, Holden suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder “is a serious mental illness marked by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships” (NIMH). He often experiences uncontrollable rage that results in altercations and behaves on impulse when handling money. He also shows signs of addiction when consuming alcohol. Additionally, Holden has trouble maintaining positive relationships with
Unlike other protagonists with amazing superpowers or cunning wits, the characters from the film Rushmore, and the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” share many of the same characteristics. In Wes Anderson’s film, Rushmore, the main character, Max Fischer, played by Jason Schwartzman has an unprecedented amount of similarities to J.D Salinger’s character Holden Caulfield from “The Catcher in the Rye”. Both stories focus on the idea of children wanting to grow up quickly whilst still being too immature to do so. The similarities include their personality traits, and the relationships they have, but the characters also differ in one major way, their views on sex. These similarities create a feel of familiarity in the reader or viewer allowing them
A human society is often described as a group of people involved in persistent personal relationships, or as a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or social territory. People tend to believe that doing what everyone else does, is the only correct path for life. If someone dares to break the pattern, does what he wants, or wears different clothes from what everybody else wear, he would frequently be seen as a strange or weird person. This is not it, every little thing someone does that differs from what it is “normal”, is seen as bad or bizarre. Holden Caulfield, of “Catcher in the Rye” is a character who stands out from common people. Holden doesn’t believe that he needs to follow what everyone else does. Contrary to that, Holden does what he wants and acts how he likes. By acting like this, Holden is not considered as a normal teenager, but as a unique one. Caulfield has often trouble fitting in society. Holden won’t fit into society because he doesn’t want to be a part of it. Hints displaying Holden not wanting to be part of society are his constant failing at school, his powerful revulsion for “phony” qualities, and his distancing himself from people.
Psychoanalysis is a psychoanalytical theory and therapy that aims to treat mental disorders by investigating the conscious and unconscious elements in a human mind by bringing fears to the conscious mind. According to Sigmund Freud, “The unconscious silently directs the thoughts and behavior of the individual” (Freud 95). Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is sixteen years old and does not act his own age for he is stuck in his own private world, filled with pain and suffering. In the novel, Holden can be observed through a psychoanalytical view, which provides the reader a clear understanding of his unconscious mind. Holden is displayed as a troubled and foolish teenager who is flunking from another private school for boys. This in the story is ironic for, Holden states, “’That sonuvabitch Hartzell thinks you’re a hot-shot in English, and he knows you’re my rommmate” (Salinger 28). Teacher’s think that Holden is good in school, but his mental issue affects him academically and in addition to his inability to deal with life. Salinger begins his novel with Holden explicitly stating, “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like…” (Salinger 1). Seeing Holden through a psychoanalytical point we can assume that his lousy childhood can be the cause of his feeling of being lost, repression, and his unstable emotions if depression and isolation. According to another psychologist that agrees to Freudian theory, Lacan states, “Human behavior is often something of puzzle, requiring concerted acts of investigation to discover root causes and multiple effects” (Hall 105).
The portrayal of art cinema is to some extent accurate when considering the time period of this film. Art film was first introduced to the American film industry during the period of time when this film came out. Art cinema utilizes its own set of artistic expression. Hollywood classical films on the other hand, are at odds with the artistic concept, and are considered to be mainstream. When we look at Classical films, we think of the basic Hollywood movie where there is a beginning, middle and end, and the whole movie comes together at the end, with a little bit of romance. In this specific movie, the audience is faced with a confusing dilemma of choosing whether this movie is an art film or a classical film. Most even think it has a documentary approach, but what makes this movie even more successful and even more entertaining, is that it is both art cinema and classical cinema.
I thought the whole idea of the Tom Baxter character walking off the screen was not only funny but brilliant. We have seen movies where people go into the screen, as in last week's Sherlock, Jr., but rarely do we see an actor leave the screen. I thought Jeff Daniels did an excellent job in portraying both Baxter and the "real" actor in the film, Gil Shepherd. In discussing this aspect of the film, I also thought that Allen's use of explaining fact and fiction was great. Through the Tom Baxter character Cecilia began to understand that the movies, although a great escape, were not real and that life is difficult weather you are an actor or a poor working class woman like herself. In the end, it was almost like a test in school when Cecilia had to choose between the two and she realized that Gil was a "real" person while Tom Baxter was just a character in a movie.
In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger develops Holden Caulfield as a morally ambiguous character. Throughout the book, Salinger speaks as Holden and introduces him as a callous and subjective individual. However, the author permits the reader to be within Holden’s mind, giving the audience an alternative perspective of Holden’s true character. Without the obscurity of Holden’s personality, the work would lack a crucial element. As the protagonist, Holden serves as an equivocal adolescent that is relatable for the reader.
J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye, uses the behaviour of protagonist Holden Caulfield to shape his personality in the way he alienates himself from the rest of the world. Holden alienates himself from the society he lives in, his relationships with others and also the relationship he has with himself. Holden struggles to cope with the fact that eventually he will have to grow up and so will everyone around him. Holden see’s the world not being perfect as a huge problem that he alone has to fix because everyone else is too much of a ‘phony’ to do it. The novel explores Holden’s weekend after he got kicked out of his fourth school, Pency Prep, and the struggles he faces with alienating himself.
The symbol I chose was Allie’s Baseball Mitt. Allie’s mitt is a meaningful object because it helps remind Holden of Allie and all the good times they had with each other.
First and foremost, the acting skills of both protagonists make this film very realistic. Anthony Hopkins thrills the audience with his performance. He shows certainty when he speaks and provides an elegant, steady and strong posture. His strongest representation is purel...
Alienation is the isolation for your indifferences. The main character, Holden Caulfield isolates himself from society and those in it, especially adults who he describes to all be ‘phony.’ Although his isolation, Holden is on a constant search for companionship, but his indifference deprives him of this. Through his alienation, we are shown Holden’s perception of the characters in the text, and this is how we perceive them. This ultimately helps the author, J.D. Salinger to shape the characters using Holden’s social status. This illustrates the importance of Holden’s alienation within the text.