How old is Norma?

Yes. Joe says "Nothing's wrong with being 50 unless you're acting 20."

From the film: "Norma, grow up. You're a woman of fifty. There's nothing tragic about being fifty - not unless you try to be twenty-five."

Of course, being 50 years old in 1949 was viewed in a completely different light than it is today, so it's not really outrageous to cast an older actress in the role.

Updated On: 4/6/16 at 11:35 AM

Roxy bringing the cheer as always.

"There's nothing tragic about being fifty - not unless you try to be twenty-five."

Well, that's an attitude that seems to have changed completely (viz. Salma Hayek, Robin Wright, Helena Bonham Carter, Tea Leoni, Halle Berry, Dean Cain, Matthew Fox, Michael Imperioli, Peter Krause, Brooke Shields, etc. - although some of them are probably aiming more for thirty than twenty-five).

Norma is 50 and Gloria Swanson was 49 during the filming of SUNSET BLVD. The make-up team actually had to "age" her a bit due to William Holden reading older on film than his true age. Originally cast Montgomery Clift would have made more impact on the age difference between Joe and Norma.



And yes, 40-50 back in the 1950s looked quite differently. People looked much older as life's responsibilities were in full force by your late teens/early 20s. Scary to think Bette Davis was only 41 when she played older theatre queen Margo Channing in ALL ABOUT EVE. She looks and behaves like a woman in her late 50s by today's standards.

You "allow" yourself to age? Both sexes age and there is nothing you can do about. In this day and age, being old is not the worst thing. I would hate to be young these days

Diet, smoking, drinking and general life style can age you Roxy. If you don't take care of yourself you can age quite rapidly. Some are however blessed with good genes. Take A RECENT EXAMPLE Doris Day! In the 50s many looked older then their actual age.

"Diet, smoking, drinking and general life style can age you Roxy."

And lots and lots of surgery can keep you looking what some call "young."

newintown said: "If Norma is 70 in 1950 (when the story takes place), then she would have been in her late 40s-mid 50s during the silent movie days. This detail only matters, however, to audience members who are paying attention to they story, which lets the majority off.



"

True. Likewise, Blanche du Bois was intended to be 26 or thereabouts. But we commonly think of her (and play her) as in her 40s, because we don't think of single women in their late 20s as desperate and "over the hill". We certainly don't hide them in the shadows of paper lanterns.

But regardless of how they word Joe's line about aging, Norma intends to play Salome, who is 16, IIRC. If Norma is 70, she isn't tragic, just silly. I saw Ellen Geer play Blanche in her 60s and, fine actress though she is, the play got laughs in all the wrong places.