Motion Picture Herald (1954)

FEATURE REVIEW A Star Is Born "STAR" OPENS TO STAR AUDIENCE Warner Brothers— And the Stars Deliver ( Color by Technicolor) IF IT may be assumed that each motion picture is in reality an item of entertainment merchandise which the exhibitor must purvey to a critcal and shopping-wise public, let it be said emphatically at the outset that here, in “A Star Is Born,” exhibition is offered an item of merchandise of superior quality, which should redound to the benefit of the industry as a whole, and bring substantial financial return to the individual exhibitor. Back in 1937, far enough back to be out of the ken of the youngsters and within happy memory of the older patrons, “A Star Is Born” was made originally, and quite successfully. It was then straight drama. This time, however, song and dance have been poured into the admixture, with most happy results. It is sheer entertainment, all the way, compounded of drama, and some pathos, without ever becoming maudlin ; of comedy and rich humor, without descending to slapstick; of a warm and infectious quality of pleasure at all times. Judy Garland has the lead, is the lead, and plays it to the hilt. Her singing voice is splendid, her performance of the finest, her dancing winning, her “selling” of a song is perfection, and in short, her manifold talent never displayed to better advantage. It becomes necessary, quite inevitable in fact, that Miss Garland’s performance be ranked immediately as in front-rank contention for the year’s Academy Award for best performance by an actress. For here, indeed, is a best performance — and by an actress! Most fortunate casting was the selection of James Mason to play Norman Maine, the prominent star who becomes the guiding light in the development of the career of Esther Blodgett, and the sand-filled rock upon which that brilliant career nearly founders. His is an unhappy role, compounded in almost equal measure, and by turns, of heel and hero. It is a role which tests the quality of an actor, for it has tones, and shadings, highlights and shadows. Mason proves conclusively that he is one of Hollywood’s finest performers. As the producer and studio head, Charles Bickford is excellent. No less capable arc Jack Carson as the studio’s publicity head and chief hater of Mason, and Tom Noonan, as the band leader sweetheart of Miss Garland, who remains her firm friend throughout. One of the most valuable of the salable and exploitable ingredients of the film is the fact that its locale, of course, is Hollywood, and glimpses are afforded of pictures in production, with all the glamor, and excitement and color of the studio at work on the set. Much is made, too, of the typical Hollywood benefit show, of an Academy Award banquet, of premieres and previews, and it all adds up to a glamorous background. The film kids Hollywood a bit, entertainingly withal, without harm. Time and again, with scenes at the seashore, with night shots over Hollywood and its surrounding hills, the inescapable values of Technicolor, enhanced by CinemaScope, are apparent. These two adjuncts to the basic medium serve to make the production exciting and always visually stimulating. Sidney Luft, who produced, and George Cukor, the director, must share a full measure of the manifold credits which accrue to all responsible. The screenplay was the work of Moss Hart, based on the original screenplay by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell and Robert Carson, which in turn stemmed from the story by William A. Wellman and Robert Carson. When to the basic dramatic story thread of the young hopeful made into a star is coupled the fact that the young player is a dancer and singer, the way is opened for musical sequences which are gems of their kind. Miss Garland was never in better voice. Particularly effective are several new songs by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin, but one of the film’s high spots is Miss Garland’s handling of “Born in a Trunk,” credited to Leonard Gershe for music and lyrics. Miss Garland, in song, tells the story of a backstage birth and rearing, and the screen flashes from scene to scene in a building career and back to the stage where she sings of it. It is a scintillating sequence in a sparkling diadem of scenes. Many will say one of the cleverest, most entertaining sequences seen in many a year is the one in which Miss Garland, home after a day of shooting, dops for Mason her impressions of a production number shot that day at the studio, and involving nationals of many types. It is satirical song HOLLYWOOD: One of the most fabulous arrays of stars to be seen in recent years turned out here Wednesday night to attend the gala premere of Warner Brothers' "A Star Is Born," starring Judy Garland and James Mason, at the RKO Pantages theatre. Jack Carson, who co-stars in the film, served as special master of ceremonies, and was assisted by George Fisher, Hollywood commentator, who has the role of master of ceremonies in the film. Highlighting the celebrities in attendance were more than 250 of the community's biggest stars, not the least important of which was Miss Garland. and-dance of the highest order, and emphatically must be seen to be appreciated. Mason’s suicide, by walking into the beauty of the open sea at early morning, leaves his wife free to pursue the career she had determined to abandon to save him. Her refusal to continue is changed by Noonan, who makes her understand that her career could be the only desire Mason might have had. It is a logical and justifiable conclusion to the dramatic development. There is laudatory connotation in recording that the picture’s unusual length, three hours, does not wear upon the viewer. The screen is crowded all of that time, but happily and well, in the best tradition of fine motion picture entertainment. Reviewed at the home office projection room, where attention was raptly on the screen, with “pros” in the audience. Reviewer’s Rating : Superior. — Charles S. Aaronson. Release date, October 16, 1954. Running time, 182 minutes. PCA No. 16751. General audience classification. Esther Blodgett Judy Garland Norman Maine James Mason Libby Jack Carson Oliver Niles Charles Bickford Danny McGuire Tom Noonan Lucy Marlowe, Amanda Blake, Irving Bacon, Hazel Shermet, James Brown, Lotus Robb 22 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 2, 1954