A Star Is Born (1937 film)
- Janet Gaynor: Vicki Lester
- Fredric March: Norman Maine
- Adolphe Menjou: Oliver Niles
- May Robson: grandmother Lettie
- Andy Devine: Danny McGuire
- Owen Moore: Casey Burke
A star is born on ( Original title: A Star Is Born) is an American film directed by William A. Wellman Janet Gaynor and Fredric March with from 1937 The film is based partly on What Price Hollywood.? from the year 1932.
Action
Vicki Lester comes from the province to Hollywood, where she dreams of success in film. To earn a living, she works as a waiter at a Hollywood party, where she drunken Norman Maine, a star whose star but has been slowly going down. Norman falls in love with her and recognizes in particular their talent. He introduces the film world of Hollywood. It then rises to a new star. The two marry. While Vicki goes from strength to strength, it attracts Norman Maine deeper and deeper into the vortex of alcohol.
Background
Selznick had in 1932 still at RKO with Constance Bennett a similar plot onto Auftstieg one unknown by marriage with a known male star under the title What Price Hollywood? rotated. Concerned him the idea of a remake since he had made in 1936 independently and Selznick tried a long time to get a suitable script. After some wrangling, and the usual page-long memo for which he was famous, and infamous, was a version that drew the focus more on the rise of the young woman and away from the tragedy of falling stars. Was inspired by the events around John Gilbert, who after binge-drinking Forgot 1936 almost, died, Selznick also changed the basic character of the male protagonist, who was a director in the original version, towards a formerly celebrated actor. The figure was more than just a trait of John Barrymore.
The occupation of the main roles was not easy. While one could relatively quickly agree on March itself, the female actress was harder to find. Selznick had initially thought of Elisabeth Bergner, but then Margaret Sullavan favors. Finally, he came up with Janet Gaynor, whose career was on the decline since 1934 continuously. Selznick had to shoot the film in Technicolor.
The film played with almost 2.4 million U.S. dollars a horrendous for those times total.
This was followed in 1954 with a new star in the sky and Judy Garland, and in 1976 under the title A Star Is Born with Barbra Streisand further in the lead roles film adaptations of the topic.
Reviews
- " Satirical with the film business, which wrongly less enjoys popularity as Cukor's remake of the 1954. " - Heyne Filmlexikon
- "In the satirical swipes at the Hollywood juggernaut convincingly than in the melodramatic sequences; nevertheless [ ... ] staged a watchable entertainment movie of the classic Hollywood cinema with care and taste. "- Encyclopedia of the International film
Awards
At the Academy Awards in 1938, the film received seven nominations in the categories:
- Best Picture
- Best Actor - Fredric March
- Best Actress - Janet Gaynor
- Best Director - William Wellman
- Best Assistant Director - Eric Stacey
- Best Original Story - William Wellman - won
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, Robert Carson
In addition, W. Howard Greene received an honorary Oscar for his color photographs.