We close out our Great Remakes series with two versions of A Star is Born! The 1954 iteration in 35mm, followed by the 2018 film.
A STAR IS BORN (1954) in 35mm at 2pm
This 1954 musical drama directed by George Cukor, written by Moss Hart, and starring Judy Garland might have been universally considered the greatest remake of all time had Warner Bros. not removed 27 minutes from the film’s original three hour cut and then discarded much of that material—making a proper restoration impossible. But whichever version you see, A Star is Born is still a marvelous movie that was nominated for six Oscars, and provided Judy Garland with one of the all-time great showbiz comebacks.
Cukor and Hart reworked the original 1937 film tailoring it to Garland’s specific persona and talents. As with the original picture, the story centers on a young wannabe actress trying to find fame in showbiz. She falls for an older movie star who helps her achieve her dreams, even as age, alcoholism, and personal demons cause his own career to flounder and spiral down. In this version, James Mason plays the former matinée idol Norman Maine, who falls for Garland’s Esther Blodgett and helps her launch her singing, dancing, and acting career.
A STAR IS BORN (2018) at 5:30pm
There have been at least three official remakes of A Star is Born (and many would say the original 1937 movie is itself a remake of the 1932 drama What Price Hollywood?). In this version, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper take on the iconic roles originated by Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, Judy Garland and James Mason, and Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Interestingly, this version, set in the world of rock and country music rather than film or theater, is much more a remake of the Barbra Streisand version of the story than either of the two more famous progenitors.
Cooper directs the film with vitality and passion, adding layers of texture and subtext in his screenplay (co-written by Eric Roth and Will Fetters). But the film lives and dies by Gaga’s performance as struggling artist Ally Campana, who is about to give up on her dream of being a singer when seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) discovers her, takes her under his wing, and falls in love with her. When Jackson shares his spotlight with Ally, she quickly starts to outshine him, which threatens their personal relationship and enables his internal demons to take him over. The film became a huge hit and was nominated for eight Oscars, winning one for the Best Original Song, “Shallow.”
You may also like the following events from Somerville Theatre:
- Next Tuesday, 19th August, 07:00 pm, Crystal Ballroom Movie Trivia Night in Somerville
- Next Wednesday, 20th August, 07:30 pm, All About Eve in 35mm in Somerville
- This month, 25th August, 11:00 pm, Double Feature: Cape Fear x 2 in Somerville, MA
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