Bridge Films

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Joe Gillis, played by William Holden, is a failed screenwriter in financial trouble who gets entangled with a former star of the silent screen Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson. They live in her decaying mansion with her enigmatic old manservant Max and her rather wonderful old car with leopard skin upholstery. She still believes she is a star and can make a come-back (no chance). Joe comes to feel trapped there writing a screen-play for her but when he tries to leave things get nasty.

The Bridge interest happens about half-way through when he voices-over that sometimes she'd invite other retired silent screen actor friends over to make a four. He unkindly describes these friends as the Waxworks.

Joe describes the games as being for a twentieth of a cent a point with Norma in the habit of giving him half of her winnings. He sneers at the most he ever got being just 70 cents, not appreciating the fine score of 2800 that must have been behind it.

Joe himself does not play but kibitzes. We get to see a short scene in the mansion where a hand is dealt and bidding that goes:

Norma   Opp.1   Partner  Opp.2

1        1        1        Pass
3NT

When playing the hand Norma is annoyed at an interruption from Joe (his car is being repossessed at the time). She complains that she has forgotten how many spades are out, and reasonably asks him to wait until she is dummy.

Summary

Bridge relevance
Really not bad. Although the scene is short you get see quite a lot. What other film has a full bidding sequence in it?