3. Sunset Blvd.
This dark fable about the underbelly of Hollywood is a classic for many good reasons. It has a terrific film noir feel, being one of the first films on record to be narrated by a character who is already dead. It showcases brilliant performances from William Holden as a hack screenwriter riding the coattails of the fading silent star Norma Desmond, played with haunting realism by Gloria Swanson. Sunset Blvd. is a look back at the early silent film era and how it became a thing of the past in the booming glory days of Hollywood's "Golden Era". The ghosts of Hollywood past walk the streets in Billy Wilder's 1950 masterpiece, all of them ready for their closeup.