In the heart of Hollywood, a struggling screenwriter named Joe Gillis finds himself trapped in a life that seems to lead nowhere. While trying to sell his latest script, he crosses paths with a former silent film star, Norma Desmond, who lives reclusively in a decaying mansion and is obsessed with the past. Norma, resting on old glories and lost dreams, desperately clings to her status as a forgotten diva and sees in Joe the opportunity for a new beginning.
Drawn by luxury and the promise of a carefree life, Joe agrees to work on a script that will revitalize Norma's career. However, what begins as a professional relationship quickly turns into an emotional entanglement. Norma becomes obsessed with Joe, projecting her yearnings for fame and love onto him, while he sinks deeper into a world that feeds on madness and despair. As the story unfolds, the tension between them grows, revealing the shadows of Hollywood that has forgotten figures like Norma.
The trio formed by Joe, Norma, and another character, Max, her butler, showcases not only the dark side of fame but also the tragedy of withered dreams. In a terrifying portrayal of the search for identity in a cruel environment, the film culminates in a shocking twist that leaves the viewer reflecting on the fragility of success and the inevitable sorrow of the passage of time.