Week in Review
There are plenty of remakes out there, but few movies have been remade twice. There’s Here Comes Mr. Jordan/Heaven Can Wait/Down to Earth, starring Robert Montgomery/Warren Beatty/Chris Rock. The only other one I know of is A Star is Born. The 1976 Barbra Streisand version came out this past Tuesday on DVD, so I thought it would be a good time to rewatch the 1954 Judy Garland film, which I haven’t seen in its restored version, and the 1937 version with Janet Gaynor which I have never seen before.
A Star is Born (1937)
Janet Gaynor and Frederic March star. Janet Gaynor is a small town girl who dreams of moving to Hollywood and getting into motion pictures. Her Granny puts her on the train and sends her off. When Gaynor gets to Hollywood, she is thrilled at the sight of Harold Lloyd’s footprints at Mann’s Chinese theater. This film is so old those are the only footprints there. (Not really.) She rents a room for six dollars a week, and goes to central casting to sign up for extra work. But in the middle of the depression, there’s not work to be had. But she does get a gig serving hors d’oeuvres at a soiree full of producers. Can she get noticed?
A Star is Born (1954)
My favorite of the three. Judy Garland stars as a barely working song-and-dance type who meets James Mason, the peaking movie star. He promises to get her a screen test, but will he follow through? Garland was only in her early thirties, but this was considered her comeback film as MGM had cancelled her contract and Warner had to be convinced to produce this film, which clocked in at 3 hours. Thirty minutes were cut, some of which was lost forever. The special edition DVD includes the original soundtrack, but some of the visuals are recreated using continuity stills. The idea that a film like this doesn’t exist anymore in its original state horrifies all film nerds. This film is on many “all-time” lists, and may be Garland’s best performance.
A Star is Born (1976)
Barbra Streisand is a nightclub singer who’s discovered by out-of-control rock and roller Kris Kristofferson. They try to make it as a couple, but his life is all sex, drugs, and Gary Busey. This is a bit of a twist on the first two, as it moves from the world of movies and musicals to arena rock.
Streisand picked this up as a vehicle for herself. Originally, she wanted Elvis to play opposite her. Elvis’ last film hadn’t released a new film since 1969. Appearing in this film would’ve frighteningly predicted Elvis’ demise. Elvis wanted to do it, but Colonel Tom Parker nixed the idea for reasons that aren’t clear. Some say it was a power move that he pulled on Barbra since she asked Elvis first without consulting his management. Others say that Elvis was physically incapable by this point of keeping up with a rigorous film schedule.
