Jump to content

A Star Is Born (1937 film): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
Line 16: Line 16:
language = [[English language|English]] |
language = [[English language|English]] |
}}
}}
'''''A Star Is Born''''' is a [[1937 in film|1937]] [[film]] [[film producer|produced]] by [[David O. Selznick]] and [[film director|directed]] by [[William A. Wellman]], with a script by Wellman, [[Robert Carson]], [[Dorothy Parker]] and [[Alan Campbell (screenwriter)|Alan Campbell]]. It stars [[Janet Gaynor]] as an aspiring actress who travels to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood]] to become a [[movie star]]. She meets an actor, played by [[Fredric March]] and they marry but soon after his career enters a downward spiral while hers flourishes.
'''''A Star Is Born''''' is a [[1937 in film|1937]] [[film]] [[film producer|produced]] by [[David O. Selznick]] and [[film director|directed]] by [[William A. Wellman]], with a script by Wellman, [[Robert Carson]], [[Dorothy Parker]] and [[Alan Campbell (screenwriter)|Alan Campbell]]. It stars [[Janet Gaynor]] as an aspiring actress who travels to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood]] to become a [[movie star]]. She meets an actor, played by [[Fredric March]] and they marry but soon after his career enters a downward spiral while hers flourishes. Some Hollywood theorists
believe that the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay was the film's
real-life inspiration.


Other members of the cast include [[Adolphe Menjou]], [[May Robson]], [[Andy Devine]] and [[Lionel Stander]].
Other members of the cast include [[Adolphe Menjou]], [[May Robson]], [[Andy Devine]] and [[Lionel Stander]].

The film contained several inside jokes, including Gaynor's brief imitation
of [[Katherine Hepburn]] and the revelation that the glamorous Norman
Maine's real last name was Hinkle. (Hinkle was the real last name of
silent film star [[Agnes Ayres]]).


It was filmed from October to December 1936 with an estimated budget of $1,173,639, and premiered in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]] on [[April 20]], [[1937]].
It was filmed from October to December 1936 with an estimated budget of $1,173,639, and premiered in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]] on [[April 20]], [[1937]].
Line 26: Line 33:
''A Star Is Born'' has been [[remake|remade]] twice, in [[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|1954]] with [[Judy Garland]] and [[James Mason]], and in [[A Star Is Born (1976 film)|1976]] with [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Kris Kristofferson]]. The [[box-office bomb]] ''[[Glitter (film)|Glitter]]'' heavily borrowed plot elements from this film.
''A Star Is Born'' has been [[remake|remade]] twice, in [[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|1954]] with [[Judy Garland]] and [[James Mason]], and in [[A Star Is Born (1976 film)|1976]] with [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Kris Kristofferson]]. The [[box-office bomb]] ''[[Glitter (film)|Glitter]]'' heavily borrowed plot elements from this film.


The scene in the film where Manjou offers March a movie role was added at the suggestion of [[George Cukor]], who directed the 1954 remake.
The scene in the film where Menjou offers the fading star a supporting role was added at the suggestion of [[George Cukor]], who directed the 1954 remake.


==External link==
==External link==

Revision as of 04:31, 19 October 2006

A Star Is Born
File:AStarisBorn1937.jpg
original film poster
Directed byWilliam A. Wellman
Written byWilliam A. Wellman
Robert Carson
Dorothy Parker
Alan Campbell
Produced byDavid O. Selznick
StarringJanet Gaynor
Fredric March
Adolphe Menjou
CinematographyW. Howard Greene
Music byMax Steiner
Distributed bySelznick International Pictures
United Artists
Release dates
April 20, 1937 (U.S. release)
Running time
111 min.
LanguageEnglish

A Star Is Born is a 1937 film produced by David O. Selznick and directed by William A. Wellman, with a script by Wellman, Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell. It stars Janet Gaynor as an aspiring actress who travels to Hollywood to become a movie star. She meets an actor, played by Fredric March and they marry but soon after his career enters a downward spiral while hers flourishes. Some Hollywood theorists believe that the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay was the film's real-life inspiration.

Other members of the cast include Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy Devine and Lionel Stander.

The film contained several inside jokes, including Gaynor's brief imitation of Katherine Hepburn and the revelation that the glamorous Norman Maine's real last name was Hinkle. (Hinkle was the real last name of silent film star Agnes Ayres).

It was filmed from October to December 1936 with an estimated budget of $1,173,639, and premiered in Los Angeles, California on April 20, 1937.

The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning the award for Best Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (March), Best Actress (Gaynor), Best Assistant Director, and Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay. It won a special Academy Award for its technicolor cinematography for W. Howard Greene.

A Star Is Born has been remade twice, in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason, and in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. The box-office bomb Glitter heavily borrowed plot elements from this film.

The scene in the film where Menjou offers the fading star a supporting role was added at the suggestion of George Cukor, who directed the 1954 remake.