A Star Is Born (1954)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Moss Hart (screenplay)
Dorothy Parker (1937 screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 October 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The applause of the world -- and then this!

Plot:

A movie star helps a young singer/actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

Plot Keywords:

Fame | Alcoholism | Singing | Pasadena California | Malibu California

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Vicki Lester / Esther Blodgett
James Mason	...	Norman Maine
Jack Carson	...	Matt Libby
Charles Bickford	...	Oliver Niles
Tommy Noonan	...	Danny McGuire (as Tom Noonan)
Lucy Marlow	...	Lola Lavery
Amanda Blake	...	Susan Ettinger - Oscar Presenter
Irving Bacon	...	Graves - Norman's valet
Hazel Shermet	...	Libby's secretary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Brown	...	Glenn Williams - Orchestra Leader (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

181 min (premiere version) | USA:154 min | USA:176 min (restored version) | Germany:169 min (DVD) | West Germany:177 min (cut version: 120')

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound System) (magnetic prints) | Mono (optical prints)

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:A (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | West Germany:12 (uncut version) | USA:Approved (PCA #16751, General Audience) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1983) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl (re-release) | UK:U | West Germany:6 (cut version)

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Because the role of Norman Maine is that of a has-been actor, it was rejected by Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and Cary Grant (who at first accepted it) before being finally accepted by James Mason.

Goofs:

Continuity: Vicki and Norman's house is shown, in the distance, as being on top of a bluff overlooking the ocean, but inside the house, it appears that the house is sitting on the beach.

Quotes:

Oliver Niles: It's a shame you never got to know Norman.
Matt Libby: What do you mean never got to know Norman? I knew Norman. I spent my whole life knowing him.
Oliver Niles: You didn't know him at all. He was quite a guy.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "I Am Not an Animal: A Star Is Hatched (#1.5)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Someone at Last

Be sure to see the restored version

Much has been written about this movie (to extremely great length) in other reviews, so I'll try to keep this fairly brief and concise.

First, the restored version runs at 176 minutes. The movie originally ran at 181 minutes, but was cut to 154 minutes when theater owners complained that they were losing money due to the excessive length. The cut destroyed the integrity of the movie - director Cukor never saw the movie again. However, the restored version contains stills to replace some of the cut footage, and gives a better sense of the film's power and scope.

Second, all four major studio versions of the story (including "What Price Hollywood?") have their own merits and differ greatly from one another. If you like the story, see them all and compare for yourself. It's quite fun to compare!

Third, definitely see this version for Judy. Sure, Judy's "The Man That Got Away" may be the greatest musical moment on cinema, but it's her dramatic performance that will keep your attention over almost three hours. James Mason is on target, and the supporting cast is fine, but Judy just dominates the screen. It's an opportunity to see a true genius in action at the absolute height of her powers. For more dramatic Judy, see her in "The Clock".

George Cukor was acclaimed as the great director of actresses, and he raises Judy to the height she deserves. I love Judy. This is a 10 out of 10.