Rating:
7.1/10 by 294 users
A Star Is Born (1954)
A movie star helps a young singer-actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.
Directing:
- George Cukor
- Edward Graham
- Russell Llewellyn
- Earl Bellamy
- Moss Hart
- William A. Wellman
- Robert Carson
- Dorothy Parker
- Alan Campbell
- Robert Carson
- Ira Gershwin
Release Date:
Fri, Oct 01, 1954
Rating: 7.1/10 by 294 users
Alternative Title:
Народження зірки - UA
Assim Nasce Uma Estrela - PT
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 02 hour 56 minutes
Budget: $5,019,770
Revenue: $12,000,000
Plot Keyword: career, husband wife relationship, musical, alcoholism, remake, fame, los angeles, california, partially lost film, fading star
Rating: 7.1/10 by 294 users
Alternative Title:
Народження зірки - UA
Assim Nasce Uma Estrela - PT
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 02 hour 56 minutes
Budget: $5,019,770
Revenue: $12,000,000
Plot Keyword: career, husband wife relationship, musical, alcoholism, remake, fame, los angeles, california, partially lost film, fading star
Judy Garland
Vicki Lester
James Mason
Norman Maine
Jack Carson
Matt Libby
Charles Bickford
Oliver Niles
Tommy Noonan
Danny McGuire
Lucy Marlow
Lola Lavery
Amanda Blake
Susan Ettinger
Irving Bacon
Graves
Hazel Shermet
Libby's secretary
James Brown
Glenn Williams
John Alban
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Laurindo Almeida
Guitarist (uncredited)
Leon Alton
Usher (uncredited)
Rudolph Anders
Mr. Ettinger (uncredited)
David Armstrong
Soundman (uncredited)
Phil Arnold
Agent (uncredited)
Nadine Ashdown
Esther (age 6) (uncredited)
Gertrude Astor
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Jack Baker
Father (uncredited)
George Becwar
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Don Beddoe
Studio Executive at Premiere (uncredited)
Rodney Bell
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Oscar Blank
Vagrant (uncredited)
Lennie Bluett
Dancer (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Willis Bouchey
McBride (uncredited)
Marshall Bradford
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Ruth Brady
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Brinegar
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Tex Brodus
Dancer (uncredited)
Sheila Bromley
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Paul Bryar
Bartender at Racetrack (uncredited)
Benny Burt
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Boyd Cabeen
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
George Calliga
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Kathryn Card
Landlady (uncredited)
John Carlyle
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Beth Carter
Dancer (uncredited)
Spencer Chan
Actor at Payroll Window (uncredited)
Chick Chandler
Man in Car at Diner (uncredited)
Lauren Chapin
Little Girl at Boarding House (uncredited)
Beulah Christian
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Samuel Colt
Sammy the Stage Manager (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin
Benefit Comedy Team Member (uncredited)
Charles J. Conrad
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Tom Cound
Price Waterhouse Man (uncredited)
Oliver Cross
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Russell Custer
Courtroom Officer (uncredited)
Blythe Daley
Nora Fusselow (uncredited)
Havis Davenport
Paramount Starlet (uncredited)
Rudy Del Campo
Dancer (uncredited)
Harry Denny
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Eddie Dew
Assistant Director at Train Station (uncredited)
Alan DeWitt
Makeup Artist (uncredited)
Joe Dougherty
Makeup Artist (uncredited)
Helen Eby-Rock
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Ellis
Pinkerton Detective (uncredited)
Jean Engstrom
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Evans
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Rex Evans
Academy Awards Emcee (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum
Ray (uncredited)
Timothy Farrell
Bailiff (uncredited)
Frank Ferguson
Judge George J. Barnes (uncredited)
Elizabeth Flournoy
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Almeda Fowler
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Nacho Galindo
José Rodriguez (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert
Audience Member (uncredited)
Joseph Glick
Vagrant (uncredited)
Jack Gordon
Stagehand (uncredited)
Wilton Graff
Shrine Auditorium Emcee (uncredited)
Marion Gray
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Robert Haines
Second Assistant Director (uncredited)
Charles Halton
Paymaster (uncredited)
Joseph Hamilton
Agent (uncredited)
Sam Harris
Benefit Attendee / Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Ray Heindorf
Movie Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Percy Helton
William Gregory (uncredited)
Louis Jean Heydt
Ocean Scene Director (uncredited)
Al Hill
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes
Spectator (uncredited)
Olin Howland
Charley (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy
Soundman (uncredited)
James Hyland
Assistant Announcer (uncredited)
Bob Jellison
Eddie (uncredited)
Jay Johnson
Musician (uncredited)
Dick Johnstone
Spectator (uncredited)
Arlene Karr
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey
Audience Member (uncredited)
Jack Kenney
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Tom Kingston
Reporter (uncredited)
George Kitchel
Reporter (uncredited)
Allen Kramer
Man (uncredited)
Frank Kreig
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Henry Kulky
Cuddles (uncredited)
Nancy Kulp
Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
Richard LaMarr
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Paul Levitt
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Carey Loftin
Signboard Man (uncredited)
Robert Locke Lorraine
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Mae Marsh
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Strother Martin
Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Dorothy Martinson
Woman (uncredited)
Louis Mason
Doorman (uncredited)
Nita Mathews
Dancer (uncredited)
Ila McAvoy
Mother in "Born in a Trunk" Number (uncredited)
Jack McCoy
Father in "Born in a Trunk" Number (uncredited)
Philo McCullough
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Don McKay
Dancer (uncredited)
Heidi Meadows
Esther (age 3) (uncredited)
Joseph Mell
Paymaster (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
Nolie Miller
Dancer (uncredited)
Patrick Miller
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Todd Miller
Dancer (uncredited)
Wade Miller
Dancer (uncredited)
Mort Mills
Makeup Artist (uncredited)
John Monaghan
Male Secretary (uncredited)
Hal J. Moore
Racetrack PA Announcer (uncredited)
Monette Moore
Blues Singer (uncredited)
Charles Morton
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Jack Mower
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
George Nardelli
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Tom Nolan
Child Dancer (uncredited)
Anton Northpole
Vagrant (uncredited)
Barry Norton
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
Ron Nyman
Stage Manager (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Monty O'Grady
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Leonard Penn
Train Station Scene Director (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper
Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
Jack Pepper
Chef (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Mel Pogue
Autograph Hound (uncredited)
Murray Pollack
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
Ezelle Poule
Shrine Auditorium Photographer (uncredited)
Frank Puglia
Bruno (uncredited)
Grandon Rhodes
Producer at Premiere (uncredited)
Don Richards
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Leoda Richards
Party Guest (uncredited)
Kay Riehl
Hairdresser (uncredited)
Larry Rio
Soundman (uncredited)
Lotus Robb
Ms. Markham (uncredited)
Walter Rode
Courtroom Policeman (uncredited)
Patricia Rosemond
Dancer (uncredited)
Riza Royce
Secretary (uncredited)
Henry Russell
Studio Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Loretta Russell
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Dick Ryan
Nightclub Man (uncredited)
John Saxon
Movie Premiere Usher (uncredited)
Bernard Sell
Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Patrick Sexton
Bert (uncredited)
Harry Seymour
Wheeler (uncredited)
Joan Shawlee
Joan (uncredited)
Don Shelton
TV Director (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock
Man Trying to Subdue Norman at Banquet (uncredited)
Dick Simmons
Producer / Benefactor (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Arthur Space
Night Court Clerk (uncredited)
Bert Spencer
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Buddy Spencer
Dancer (uncredited)
Eileen Stevens
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Stevenson
Boom Operator (uncredited)
Robert Strong
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Grady Sutton
Artie Carver (uncredited)
Kay Tapscott
Dancer (uncredited)
Dub Taylor
Norman's Driver (uncredited)
Wayne Taylor
Autograph Hound (uncredited)
Al Thompson
Vagrant (uncredited)
Ted Thorpe
Soundman (uncredited)
Louis Tomei
Signboard Man (uncredited)
Emerson Treacy
Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel
Photographer in a Dressing Room (uncredited)
Valerie Vernon
Marian (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Geraldine Wall
Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
Ruth Warren
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Watts
Harrison (uncredited)
Harte Wayne
Man at a Funeral (uncredited)
Richard Webb
Wallace (uncredited)
Duff Whitney
Reporter (uncredited)
Shirley Whitney
Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Josephine Whittell
Shrine Auditorium Reporter (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox
Frank (uncredited)
Jean Willes
Fan at a Benefit Show (uncredited)
Tom Wilson
Stagehand Carrying Poles / Passerby Outside Hotel (uncredited)
Eric Wilton
Charles (uncredited)
Stephen Wyman
Nigel Peters (uncredited)
Mary Young
Boardinghouse Woman (uncredited)
Diana Deane
Dancer (uncredited)
One cannot watch this nowadays without seeing parallels between the James Mason role as "Norman Maine" and Judy Garland's own later life. He is the falling star of Hollywood kept afloat by booze and the ceaseless efforts of his studio boss "Oliver Niles" (Charles Bickford) to keep him from complete self-destruction. Meantime "Esther Blodgett" (Garland) is a struggling chanteuse taking any job she can until good fortune strikes. One night, serendipity takes a hand in this and their paths cross. He hears her sing "The Man That Got Away" with her band in a bar and is smitten both professionally and emotionally. As the title suggests, a star is well and truly born. Soon "Maine" is but an appendage to the newly renamed "Vicki Lester" which sees him spiral even more out of control, despite her addictive love for him. It's long (over 2½ hours) so inevitably, it sags at times - I could have done with more singing, but it is still a fine, touching, piece of cinema.
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