This was the era of the "fading flower." Actresses resorted to harsh lighting, perpetual makeup, and hiding their birthdays. The film Sunset Boulevard (1950) was a gothic horror story, but its real terror lay in its realism: Norma Desmond, a forgotten silent film star, represented every actress who had been discarded by a fickle industry.
The "Meryl Streep Effect" has expanded into a broader movement where age is treated as an asset rather than a limitation.
The industry is slowly moving away from the "Golden Ager" or "Shrew" stereotypes toward more nuanced portrayals. Women Over 50: The Right to be Seen on Screen
Here is why we are finally ditching the ingénue and falling in love with women over 50.