STACK #185 Mar 2020

EXTRAS FEATURE

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Hollywood's continuous love affairwith A STAR IS BORN

as an actor, causing him to lose his contract with the studio and culminating with his final swim in the Pacific Ocean. Directed by George Cukor, this version is considered the very best of Garland's "adult" films and received six Academy Award nominations. The next re-incarnation, released in 1976, transfers the story from Hollywood to the world of rock music. Barbra Streisand plays Esther Hoffman, an up-and-coming songstress. Streisand and her producer/lover, Jon Peters originally sought Elvis Presley to portray the self-destructive rock-n-roll singer John Norman Howard, who mentors Esther to stardom. When Presley rebuffed them, they cast singer Kris Kristofferson in the role.

According to those who were involved in the production, both Streisand and Peters behaved like tyrants that no one could please – especially the three directors they unceremoniously sacked. Kristofferson deserves enormous credit for his acting when showing a love for Streisand onscreen that he is said to have rarely felt during the whole shoot. The critical reception was not favourable with many reviewers finding it too long and too boring, but once again the

T he movie What Price Hollywood? (1932) starring Constance Bennett and Lowell Sherman chronicles the bittersweet rise of a young cafe waitress to movie stardom, whilst her alcoholic mentor's own film directing career hits the skids, resulting in him committing suicide. This long-forgotten RKO film, produced by David O. Selznick and directed by George Cukor, was not a success at the

public adored the film and turned it into a massive box- office hit. However, it was passed over in all the major Academy Award categories (it would be the only one of the four versions of A Star Is Born that did not receive a Best Actor and Actress nomination). A similar storyline was used for the 2018 version produced,

DID YOU KNOW: It has been speculated that the original story was inspired by the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and her first husband, actor Frank Fay, which soured when her film success eclipsed his career. Also silent star John Bowers, who drowned himself off Malibu when sound movies ended his film career.

box-office. But its dual rise and fall storyline became a permanent part of Hollywood folklore that would spawn four further film versions. Five years later, Selznick, now working at MGM, developed the idea of the original film into the more ambitious A Star Is Born (1937), written and directed by William A. Wellman. It starred Janet Gaynor as Esther Blodgett – renamed Vicki Lester – a young girl who goes to Hollywood and becomes a star. She marries the famous but alcoholic actor Norman Maine (played by Frederic March). But because of his chronic addiction to the drink, Maine's movie career completely collapses and he becomes solely dependent on his award-winning wife. When he overhears Vicki telling her studio boss that she is going to give up her career to take care of him, he realises the burden he is to her. Telling her he is going for a swim, Maine leaves their beach house and walks into the sea until the waves close over his head. Unlike its predecessor, the film became a sure-fire hit and garnered seven Academy Award nominations. The 1954 Warner Bros. remake came into being through the enterprise of Judy Garland and her then husband, Sid Luft. Garland's contract with MGM had been terminated in 1950 following several years of problems and difficulties between the star and the studio. After four years in the wilderness and one suicide attempt, Garland considered that this

project would be an ideal comeback vehicle for her. In this version, Esther Blodgett is not a starry-eyed hopeful, she is already a professional entertainer, singing with a touring dance band and has no desire to become a movie star. It is film actor Norman Maine (played by James Mason) who, after hearing her sing, convinces her that she has "star quality" and arranges with his studio boss to give her a screen test. The two films now run parallel – Esther is renamed Vicki Lester and eventually becomes an Oscar-winning star. Having fallen in love with Maine she marries him, but his continual drinking saps his vitality

directed and starring Bradley Cooper as country-rock singer Jackson Maine, battling alcohol and drug addiction. He discovers and falls in love with a young vocalist played by Lady Gaga. This too became a box-office smash as well as receiving eight Oscar nominations.

Only time will tell if Hollywood decides to make a sixth version sometime in the future.

Join STACK ’s resident filmhistorian Bob J and our community of cinema buffs to have your say eachmonth in ' Bob J’s Classic Movie Club ' Facebook group.

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MARCH 2020

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