gloria swanson and william holden be supreme in this hard look into the dark side of hollywoodland . gloria swanson a the insane norma desmond and a mad silent movie star languishing in her old mansion surround by reminder of her glory day and and william holden a a bitingly cynical screenwriter play gigolo to swanson while carry on an affair with nice reader nancy olson be great . the other scene stealer be erich von stroheim and who play swanson fromer husband and director and and now her butler .