Star Is Born

Starring: Fredric March & Janet Gaynor Director: William Wellman

Tragic romance between two movie stars, one on the rise and the other whose career is eclipsed.

DVD Features:

Major Awards:

Academy Awards - Best Original Screenplay (1937)

Academy Awards - Best Original Screenplay (1937)

Description by OLDIES.com:

The astounding, whirlwind rise of Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor), a farmgirl with dreams of making it big in Hollywood is chronicled in this Selznick International classic. Just off the train, Esther's first stop in Tinseltown is to Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where she prophetically steps into the shoeprints of matinee idol Norman Maine (Fredric March). While working a waitress job at a fancy celebrity party, she unexpectedly runs into the legendary Maine, who proceeds to charm her, while carelessly indulging himself with booze. Truly smitten, he persuades production head Oliver Niles (Adolphe Menjou) to give her a screen test, and soon Esther is cast in a lead role paired with Maine - followed by their marriage! An overnight sensation, Esther is transformed into Vicki Lester. As her box-office appeal rises, Maine's popularity declines and his alcohol abuse escalates.

The original Technicolor masterpiece about fame's superficiality and the triumph of love earned Wellman and Robert Carson Academy Awards. A Star Is Born would inspire two musical remakes over the next four decades: the equally hallowed 1954 version starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and the 1976 update with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.

Product Description:

The beautifully shot A STAR IS BORN recounts a tragic Hollywood tale of fame and misfortune. As young Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor) rises to stardom, her husband, former leading man Norman Maine (Fredric March), is in the midst of a heartbreakingly rapid decline. Gaynor is both genuine and funny as the small-town girl who loses her one great love while she pursues another, and March is perfect as the passé alcoholic has-been. The film received six Academy Award nominations and won a special award for its color cinematography.

Plot Synopsis:

A young woman rises to stardom while her husband sinks into depression in this William Wellman Technicolor classic. This poignant story resulted in three film remakes. Academy Award Nominations: 7, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (by Dorothy Parker). Academy Awards: 2, including Best Original Story and a special plaque honoring the film's color photography.

Plot Keywords:

Drama | Love Story | Rags To Riches | Self-Discovery | Tear Jerker

Cast and Crew: