The movie we watched in class, Sunset Boulevard, was produced during the successive depression the society faced due to WWII. Considering that, utilizing mainc haracters that were going through their own relatable trials (IE. money, social status, and fame) made them more appealing to the public. The cynical persona of the main character was almost, seemingly, a depiction of what the 'average' person could be considered for their time period due to all the strife going on around.
Sunset Boulevard can be seen as the ending of Noir films considering it was also produced towards the end of this WWII funk that the nation seemed to be in. So, it's almost like the last 'hoorah' of that time period for Noir films.
The films purpose in regards to history in film was to portray a version of the harsher aspects of Hollywood on it's contributors. It showed a darker side of Hollywood's progression and it's leaving hard workers behind. To keep up with the industry is shown as nearly impossible for the stories can't be published quick enough by the scriptors to keep up with fads, nor can the actors/actresses bask in anything more than their 'fifteen minutes' of fame.
Sunset Boulevard's creators wanted to depict Hollywood at it's harshest by making it nearly comedic with all the sarcastic inputs-When that's really not too much of a brutally portrayed Hollywood.
The film is in LA, California which can be seen as a further depiction towards Hollywood, fast paced culture, and a need for impossibly unobtainable percetions of 'beauty' and 'perfection'.
Sunset Boulevard's production was a bit after the ending of Silent films. It was near the beginning of dialogue and 'actual' sound induced films, making it's background story with silent actress 'Norma Desman' probably really relatable for some viewers.
The movie blatantly goes against the ideals and methods Hollywood is depicting through showing it in a sarcastic, satirized manner. Through this, it amuses it's viewers while also enlightening them to the issue.
In regards to genre it could be under: Mystery (to an extent), drama, and satire.
The film is stylized as a classic (now) and under the title of 'Noir'.
It's made in post WWII time where people were geared towards darker films that told more of the truth than sugarcoated 'fairytale' romanticism.
It delivers the cynical mind of a realistically portrayed man whose in a believable issue while still providing comic relief to entertain Americans.
It presents to the viewers Hollywood and it's darker outlooks. Through the desperate cling to youth and beauty, the quick transitions from one style to another, and the impossible pace of fads and demands—Sunset Boulevard shows the people faces of society in Hollywood that can be seen in other aspects of it as well.
Due to it's being Noir style and containing cynical dialogue, the film targets realists (or pessimists, whichever you choose to call them) to entertain their ideas and beliefs. The audience are people willing to accept and understand there is more to life than the happy depictions seen on TV and in most magazines.
I think the film was made to really give the audience something to chew on in mentionings to Hollywood's brutal pace and treatment of it's contributors. Of course it was wittily scripted and showed interesting characters to entertain, but it was realistic and satirized in a manner that really portrays what Hollywood is doing to it's stars and writers.
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