Browse The Musicals
# - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

A Star Is Born

Directed by George Cukor
1937 screenplay written by Alan Campbell & Dorothy Parker
Written by Moss Hart, William A. Wellman & Robert Carson
Produced by Sidney Luft & Vern Alves
Original Music by Harold Arlen & Ray Heindorf
Lyricists: Ira Gershwin & Leonard Gershe
Movie 1954

Synopsis

Esther Blodgett, is a singer with the Glenn Williams orchestra, who is discovered by aging and slipping movie idol Norman Maine, on the evening when Esther saves him from making a drunken spectacle of himself in front of a gala benefit audience.

Later that same evening, and sober, Norman tracks her down and hears her sing, recognizing the qualities of true greatness in her voice. He decides to help this incredible talent get started in pictures. When the star of a major musical film walks out, Norman persuades Oliver Niles, the warm-hearted head of the studio, to cast Esther in the part. Esther Blodgett becomes Vicki Lester, and an overnight success in films.

She marries Norman and they experience a brief period of happiness, during which Norman even stops his drinking. But while the studio and its press agent, Libby, begin concentrating on Vicki, Norman's star begins to fall.

He returns to alcohol and eventually has to be put into an institution. After Norman humiliates Vicki and himself before a national television audience on the night she wins an Academy Award, accidentally slapping her in the face, Vicki begins to think that the only way to save Norman and her marriage is to give up her career. Norman's final degradation comes after a three day drinking binge and a heartbreaking scene in a Los Angeles jail when he is publicly reprimanded by the judge and put into Vicki's custody.

When Vicki informs Oliver of her decision to end her career and devote her life to Norman, Norman overhears the conversation and faces the reality of the situation. Pretending to be well, he requests her to sing a song for him and tells her that he is going for a short swim. He walks into the sea and drowns himself.

After Norman's death, Vicki is totally despondent until her lifelong friend, former band mate Danny persuades her that Norman sacrificed his life so that she could fulfill her great potential. In the final scene at the gala benefit at which Vicki is the guest of honor, she gives full credit to her husband by entering the stage with the words, "Good evening, everyone. This is Mrs. Norman Maine".

Song List

Overture
Gotta Have Me Go With You
Man That Got Away, The
Born In A Trunk
Swanee
I'll Get By
You Took Advantage Of Me
Black Bottom
Peanut Vendor, The
My Melancholy Baby
Swanee (reprise)
Here's What I'm Here For
It's A New World
Someone At Last
Lose That Long Face

Info

Cast Included:

Judy Garland ....Esther Blodgett/Vicki Lester
James Mason ....Norman Maine
Jack Carson ....Matt Libby
Charles Bickford ....Oliver Niles
Tommy Noonan....Danny McGuire
Lucy Marlow ....Starlet
Amanda Blake ....Susan
Irving Bacon ....Graves
Hazel Shermet ....Libby's Secretary

Academy Award Nominations: 6, including Best Actor--James Mason, Best Actress--Judy Garland.

Judy Garland was nominated for the Best Foreign Actress award in the British Academy Awards.

2 Golden Globe Awards won - Judy Garland won Best Motion Picture Actress Musical/Comedy & James Mason won Best Motion Picture Actor Musical/Comedy

Related

Browse The Musicals
# - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Home | Licensing Agents | Reviews | Theatre Tickets

Return To Top