Legendary Hollywood star Clint Eastwood is celebrating over six decades in the industry, and he has revealed his favorite movie of all time. His movie choice surprised many of his fans, but it proved that the director is a lover of golden age movies.
In a joint interview with his son, the seasoned director and producer named Billy Wilder’s 1950 dark comedy Sunset Boulevard as his all-time favorite movie. The ’50s movie has an interesting plot as it tells the story of a screenwriter and a movie star who have their world intertwined.
Clint Eastwood explains why he loves ‘Sunset Boulevard’
In 2009, during a red carpet appearance at the American Film Institute, Eastwood mentioned three from what he considered the golden age of cinema: John Ford’s How Green Was My Valley (1941), William A. Wellman’s The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), and John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).
However, he explained why Sunset Boulevard is his favorite film. “Two different styles: the style of the silent-movie actress, and then with William Holden’s character, someone more contemporary. The two styles work so well together. And I always liked Billy Wilder,” he explained.
Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard follows the life of a struggling scriptwriter Joe Gillis who becomes entangled with a reclusive silent movie actress Norma Desmond who needed Gillis’ help to resuscitate her dying career. The film explores the unpleasant parts of Hollywood’s film industry, and the need for fame.
Clint Eastwood is a household name in Hollywood
Eastwood has become a legend in the industry, with a 65-year career run in Hollywood. The actor has starred in various Western movies such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Dirty Harry, and Escape from Alcatraz.
Behind the camera, Eastwood has directed masterpieces such as Play Misty for Me, Pale Rider, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Gran Torino. He has won four Oscars, 11 Academy nominations, three Golden Globes, and earned international recognition.