Magnolia and Sunset Boulevard, the Realities of Hollywood

A detailed Summary of Magnolia and Sunset Boulevard, the Realities of Hollywood

Hollywood is the land of fame and fortune. Tinsletown, as Hollywood is often referred to, is usually portrayed in the media as a "make-believe" land of fame, fortune and happiness. This "myth" that Hollywood has spawned since the explosion of the entertainment industry in the early nineteenth century, has led many to the promised land of Southern California. It is true that there are a few fortunate people that actually do make it to Hollywood's elite society, but what many of them encounter is a world of deceit, manipulation, and crime. There is a movie that illustrates the darker side of Hollywood. Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is a film that breaks the myth of Hollywood and shows some of the realities that many encounter in the industry.

Magnolia, directed by Anderson, is an excellent film about the colder side of Hollywood. In this film, the visible wealth of fame, fortune, and happiness are replaced with drugs, dysfunctionalism, and deceit. There are three characters that standout in this film. Claudia (Melora Walters), Donnie Smith (William H. Macy), and Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) defy the myth of Hollywood with stories of drug addiction, crime, and deceit. The complete opposite of what

Another character who went against the myth of Hollywood was Donnie Smith. He was a child star who became famous for his accomplishments in a game show that was ironically hosted by Claudia's father, Jimmy Gator (Phillip Baker Hall). Donnie is an adult who is literally down on his luck. His irresponsibility does not allow him to hold down his mediocre job at an electronics store. Faced with financial hardship, he stoops to a new low and tries to befriend a rich, elderly homosexual male at a bar. He later steals money from the same electronics store where he was employed.

Earl Partridge had seemingly achieved everything that anyone could possibly want. He had a production company that produced television programs, a loving wife, and a beautiful home. Yet, he is probably the most dysfunctional character in the film. While he is on his deathbed, he is forced to evaluate everything that he has done in his life. He reveals that he had been unfaithful to his first wife many times. He also reveals that his son is Frank Mackey (Tom Cruise), the charismatic female infomercial predator, and that his unfaithfulness during his first wife's dying days finally broke apart his relationship with his son. It was sad to see how

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tom Cruise, Jason Robards, Hall Donnie, Earl Partridge, Thomas Anderson, Tinsletown Hollywood, Southern California, Donnie Smith, , myth hollywood, Hollywood Magnolia, fame fortune, electronics store, land fame fortune, fortune happiness, donnie smith, magnolia directed, child star, earl partridge, fame fortune happiness, land fame,

Approximate Word count = 835
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies

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