Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is Erich von Stroheim’s character connected to Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder in a promotional photograph for Sunset Boulevard (1950), which he directed.
In the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, the character played by Erich von Stroheim, Max von Mayerling, is connected to the fading silent-film star Norma Desmond as both her devoted butler and her former husband.1
Max serves as the caretaker of Desmond’s isolated mansion, facilitating her delusional lifestyle as she plans a doomed comeback to the film industry. His role as a former director who was once married to the star adds a layer of tragic history to their relationship, underscoring the film's critique of the Hollywood studio system.1