Product: Star Is Born (UK PAL Region 0)
Rating: 5.0
The Original
I haven't seen the remakes of this film to be able to compare them, but I do know that the basic story of this film has been used over and over in movie history, and that's because it's a good one. The plot follows the rise of a young actress and the fall of her actor-husband. Fredric March is excellent as the husband who turns to the bottle for comfort when his career flounders and his star dims. Janet Gaynor, as the star that is born, plays her role expressively, no doubt influenced by her days in silent films, but it works and anchors the film. Lionel Stander is great as a cynical studio man. There are a number of terrific scenes, including several surrounding the new actress' makeover (name and looks) which gives the viewer an idea of how the studio system must have worked in the Golden Age. The final scene is also a classic. A Star is Born is well scripted and acted, and it opens the door into Hollywood of the Thirties.