Product: Star Is Born (UK PAL Region 0)
Rating: 4.0
SALT WATER TAFFY
All but forgotten 1937 classic garnered 7 Academy Award nominations. Movie shows in full detail the effects of alcoholism abeting an actor's downfall (March). Unfortunately, Hollywood would have to wait until 1945"s "The Lost Weekend", directed by Billy Wilder, to see the disesae up close. Yet, at least director Wellman hits upon it here, without throwing the entire film into disarray.March knows that he's had it as an actor, and only through the auspices of his rising srar wife Gaynor is he able to avoid jail time.If Gaynor seems almost too good to be true,then so be it. Anything might have been better than her negative, sarcastic upbringing. Too late does anyone understand the depth of March's depression; no doubt to this viewer that his final swim towards Hawaii was a noble gesture on his part, paving the way for his wife's blossoming stardom.A really great oldie!