On August 10, 1950, exactly 76 years ago today, Sunset Boulevard premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Directed by Billy Wilder, Sunset Boulevard follows the story of Joe Gillis, a struggling Hollywood screenwriter, played by William Holden. Joe meets Norma Desmond, portrayed by Gloria Swanson, an aging silent film superstar. Their bizarre relationship turns into a fatal obsession and a tragic end.
Upon its release, Wilder stirred controversy for portraying an unfamiliar and brutally honest view of Hollywood. In fact, the director was accused of disgracing the industry.
Despite initial criticism, Sunset Boulevard eventually rose to become one of the most important film noirs in history.
In 2022, Wilder’s masterpiece was named one of the greatest films of all time in the British Film Institute’s list. The film was praised for being the epitome of Hollywood craftsmanship.
“Besides all that, Sunset Boulevard is much the most ambitious movie about Hollywood ever done, and is the best of several good ones into the bargain,” the BFI’s review read.
Montgomery Clift Dropped Out of Sunset Boulevard Weeks Before Production
Sunset Boulevard became a defining film in Holden’s decorated acting repertoire. However, he was not Wilder’s first choice for the lead role. Holden was actually brought in as a replacement after Montgomery Clift dropped out just weeks before production started.
According to Clift’s own biography, he had hesitations about having love scenes with an older woman (Swanson) in Sunset Boulevard after having played a similar role in a previous movie. Montgomery also opted to walk away from the role for fear it would negatively impact his public image.
Sunset Boulevard was far from the only classic film Clift turned down during his relatively brief yet decorated Hollywood career. He reportedly also rejected roles in High Noon, A Star Is Born and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, among others.
Clift was an outstanding actor. He earned four Academy Award nominations, including three for Best Actor. However, a near-fatal car crash in 1956 changed his life forever.
Clift suffered significant facial injuries that required multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation. He turned to heavy use of painkillers, coupled with his already serious drinking problems, which prompted his steep personal and professional decline.
Clift continued acting, but he struggled on movie sets. He eventually faded from public view despite being one of the biggest Hollywood stars just years earlier.
In 1966, Clift died of a heart attack at just 45 years of age. Clift’s tragic case is described as the “longest suicide in Hollywood history,” according to a 2014 profile by Vanity Fair.
Related: 1960 Jack Lemmon Classic, Ranked Among One of the ‘Greatest Comedies of All Time,’ Has a Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Aug 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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