A Star Is Born

1937 DramaRomance 111 minutes Directed by William A. Wellman

Open in new tab

About A Star Is Born

Esther Blodgett takes her grandmother's savings to Hollywood, waits tables at a party, and is renamed Vicki Lester after Norman Maine gets her a test with producer Oliver Niles. Her fame climbs while his drinking ends his career. He interrupts her award speech, is sentenced after a drunk-driving arrest, and drowns in the Pacific when he hears she will quit for him. At the premiere of her next film at Grauman's Chinese Theatre she introduces herself as Mrs. Norman Maine.

Cast & crew

More about A Star Is Born

William A. Wellman directed for David O. Selznick. Wikipedia says shooting ran from October 31 to December 28, 1936, and gives an estimated budget of $1,173,639. The Los Angeles premiere was April 20, 1937, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, with New York two days later at Radio City Music Hall, and Wikidata lists 111 minutes.

Themes

  • a new star
  • a fading alcoholic
  • a public name at the microphone
  • Esther Blodgett
  • Vicki Lester
  • Norman Maine
  • Oliver Niles
  • Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Making

George Cukor, who later directed the 1954 remake, suggested the scene in which Menjou offers the fading star a supporting role.

Look

W. Howard Greene photographed the Technicolor production.

Technique

At the 10th Academy Awards it was the first color film nominated for Best Picture.

Music

Max Steiner composed the score.

Notes

  • Janet Gaynor's role was her only Technicolor film. Fredric March's was his first in Technicolor.
  • The Oscar Gaynor holds in the award scene is her own 1929 Best Actress statuette.
  • Dorothy Parker later said she had contributed nothing of significance. Budd Schulberg and Ring Lardner Jr. wrote the closing line.
  • Adela Rogers St. Johns is a writer on Wikidata along with Wellman, Robert Carson, Parker, and Alan Campbell.
  • W. Howard Greene photographed it, Max Steiner composed the score, and James E. Newcom edited it.
  • United Artists distributed the film. Andy Devine, Lionel Stander, and Owen Moore are billed with Adolphe Menjou and May Robson.

Awards

  • Academy Award for Best Story
  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Scenes

  • Norman slaps Esther by accident while crashing her award speech.
  • Esther introduces herself to the premiere crowd as Mrs. Norman Maine.

Influenced by

  • What Price Hollywood? (1932)

Influenced

  • A Star Is Born (1954)
  • A Star Is Born (1976)
  • A Star Is Born (2018)

Also available

  • Internet Archive (AStarIsBorn)
  • Wikimedia Commons (A Star Is Born (1937).webm)

Quotes

Hello, everybody. This is Mrs. Norman Maine.

More from William A. Wellman

View all →