OVERLAY REPORT

In Billy Wilder’s *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), the most crucial action made by the lead character, **Joe Gillis** (William Holden), is his decision in the film’s climax to **abandon his life as a "kept man" and attempt to leave Norma Desmond’s mansion forever.** While Joe spends much of the film as a passive character "ensnared in a web of delusion," this final act is his only moment of true moral agency. The person who helps him make this choice is **Betty Schaefer** (Nancy Olson). ### The Crucial Action: Joe’s Moral Awakening Throughout the film, Joe is a struggling screenwriter who compromises his integrity for the luxury and security provided by the faded silent film star Norma Desmond. The "most crucial action" occurs when Joe finally rejects this parasitic existence. After Norma attempts to sabotage his relationship with Betty by calling her to reveal Joe's status as a gigolo, Joe intercepts the call and invites Betty to the mansion to see the truth for himself. In the ensuing confrontation: * **The Rejection of Luxury:** Joe brutally admits to Betty that he is a "long-term tenant" of Norma’s, living off her money and "platinum key chains." * **The Shattering of Delusions:** After sending Betty away to protect her from his own moral decay, he turns to Norma and shatters her fantasies. He tells her the truth that her butler Max has been writing her fan mail, that her "Salome" script is worthless, and that the public has forgotten her. * **The Departure:** He packs his bags and informs Norma he is returning to his old $35-a-week newspaper job in **Dayton, Ohio**. This action is the catalyst for the film's tragic end, as it prompts Norma to shoot him in a fit of jealous rage. ### Who Helped Him: Betty Schaefer **Betty Schaefer** is the catalyst for Joe’s transformation. She helps him in two specific ways: 1. **Creative Restoration:** Betty, an aspiring writer herself, discovers a spark of talent in one of Joe's old, discarded scripts (*Dark Windows*). She convinces him to collaborate with her on a new screenplay at night. This professional partnership reminds Joe of his original passion and integrity, contrasting sharply with the "script doctoring" he does for Norma’s delusional projects. 2. **Emotional Truth:** Betty represents the "real world" and the "future" of Hollywood. Her genuine love for Joe forces him to confront the "spiritual and spatial emptiness" of his life with Norma. By falling in love with Betty—a woman of his own age and social standing—Joe is forced to realize that he cannot remain a "gigolo" without losing his soul. ### Secondary Interpretation: Norma and Max While Joe is the protagonist, if one considers **Norma Desmond** the "lead" due to her dominant presence, her most crucial action is her final **descent down the staircase** (the "close-up") into total madness. In this instance, her butler **Max von Mayerling** (Erich von Stroheim) is the one who helps her. As police and newsreel cameras fill the house, Max realizes the only way to get the delusional Norma to cooperate is to "direct" her. He calls out "**Action!**" and treats the newsreel photographers as a film crew, allowing Norma to make her grand, tragic exit from reality.