A Hollywood Story. Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, an ageing silent film queen, and William Holden as the struggling writer who is held in thrall by her madness, created two of the screen's most memorable characters in Billy Wilder's immortal Sunset Boulevard. The film was winner of three Academy Awards in 1950 - Best Story and Screenplay, Black and White Art Direction and score for a Dramatic Picture. Wilder's masterful orchestration of this shadowy tale makes it a true cinematic classic. From the unforgettable opening sequence through the inevitable unfolding of tragic destiny, Sunset Boulevard is the definitive statement on the dark and desperate side of Hollywood. Erich Von Stroheim as Desmond's discoverer, ex–husband, and butler, and Nancy Olson as the bright spot in unrelenting ominousness, are equally memorable. "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."