Much has been written and analyzed about former President Donald Trump’s habits and tastes. Thanks to his frequent tweets, we know the numbers in the news that pissed him off. But we haven’t learned much about his preferences in popular culture yet.
in New York magazine Plot Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi last week unveiled Trump’s favorite movie — one that he said is “one of the greatest movies ever made,” and he watches it “over and over again,” Nuzzi reports. Read on to find out what the movie is about, and why it might have a symbolic touch in terms of where the former president now finds himself.
In an article about how Trump spends his days these days, after losing his bid for a second presidential term, Nozy reports that the only thing the former president likes to do is watch his favorite movie: Sunset Boulevard. The 1950 film, directed by Billy Wilder, is considered one of the classic films of American cinema. That’s in part because it’s a sharp cautionary tale about how Hollywood tends to chew and spit out players.
The film stars Gloria Swanson as former silent film queen Norma Desmond, who believes she’s about to make a great comeback in the world of talking pictures and lures a young screenwriter into her twisted version of reality. “A star of the silent picture marginalized by speakers, driven to madness, in denial of her fading fame,” Nozy describes her.
“When he was a businessman, he showed them to guests on his 727,” says Nuzzi. When he was president, he performed demonstrations of it for the White House staff at Camp David. He once showed it to his press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who later described how the president, who could never sit still without talking on the phone, sending a tweet, or flipping through channels TV, sat intrigued.”
Biographer Tim O’Brien once wrote about watching the movie with Trump. When the film shot Norma Desmond crying, “These stupid producers. These stupid people! Don’t they have any eyes? Have they forgotten what a star looks like? I’ll show them. I’ll be there again, so help me!,” Trump whispered to O’Brien, “Is that a great scene or what?” It’s unbelievable.”
Nozy concludes her article by asking, “Do you remember how Sunset Boulevard finish? Norma Desmond shoots and kills the writer, a con man who has fallen under the spell of her attractiveness, just as he muster up the courage to leave. Her sycophantic butler turns. There are no enablers left to protect her.” “One last fantasy, a fake movie set, is being shown in the entrance of the mansion. The lights come on, and she is lured in front of the cameras, as the police wait to remove her.”
Sunset Boulevard is a classic film noir that remains highly regarded for its unforgettable characters, sharp screenplay, and enduring themes. It tells the story of a struggling screenwriter who becomes involved with a reclusive former silent film star who lives in a run-down mansion on Sunset Boulevard. A critical and commercial success upon its release, the film won three Academy Awards and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1950.
Gloria Swanson’s portrayal of fading movie star Norma Desmond earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The screenplay was written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett and based on a story by Wilder and DM Marshman Jr.
The film’s memorable score was composed by Franz Waxmann and featured the iconic “As Time Goes By” by Herman Hupfeld. She is known for her dark and sarcastic tone and commentary on the film industry and the pitfalls of fame. The film has been widely hailed as a classic of Hollywood cinema and has been referenced and derided in many other films and media.