The very first film, A Star Is Born, was released back in 1937 starring Janet Gaynor (as the famous actress who was the very first to win the Academy Award for Best Actress).

Now modern audiences know the story of A Star Is Born from the fourth official adaptation by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Their film is a gorgeous and very worthy one. It is a pleasure to watch.

Now before us is the second adaptation of Star Is Born starring Judy Garland. For the actress, this film is like an autobiographical film. For her role in it she won a Golden Globe, but she was not given an Oscar. Just ahead of her was Grace Kelly for ‘Country Girl.

In fact, none of the actresses playing ‘A Star Is Born’ got the coveted statuette for the role: not Janet Gainer, not Judy Garland, not Barbara Streisand (who played the third official adaptation of ‘A Star Is Born’ in 1976), and not Lady Gaga. There’s a curse of some sort on that role.

But back to 1954’s A Star Is Born. It’s actually a great movie. It’s different in that it takes longer than the other screenings. Garland is so beautiful in this picture. It’s like this role was just for her.

We see the story of Esther and Norman. He was a star, and one day Norman, drunk from disgrace, is rescued by Esther on stage, and then sobering up Norman decides to thank the girl, because her voice is gorgeous. He promotes her to the world of cinema, and who knew that she would be the greatest star. A story of ups and downs, love and envy, the world of show business, the story of a star…

• When you become famous, they start calling you by your first and last name.
• What do you want to be called?
• Just “Jack.”

Why is Garland considered a great star? Watch ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ or ‘A Star Is Born’ with her. It’s very clear without words, you just feel her acting, her amazing voice. There was something magnetic about her.

It wasn’t easy for Judy to make this movie, but she let the part go through her, and everything stuck with her. It was Judy who made this movie come alive. Norman was played by James Mason, and it turned out a curious acting duet. In one of the roles remembered Charles Bickford – he was a very good actor.

Some scenes in this musical picture can be revisited and revisited. I’m talking about the performance of the heroine Judy. The film itself looks atmospheric, it has its own charm and a certain zest. And the songs… The songs are great.

The great George Cucor sits in the director’s chair, and he made so many wonderful and beloved films. Cucor was one of the three directors who directed the cult movie ‘Gone with the Wind’, he directed 10 movies with Katharine Hepburn, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Gaslight’. One could go on and on listing his special and beloved films.

His film A Star Is Born has many pluses, and to this day there is sure to be an audience for it. Personally, I enjoyed watching this beautiful and rousing movie.

‘A Star Is Born’ is a 1954 musical melodrama directed by George Cukor. Bottom line, this movie is like a long song about love, life and work, and the beating heart of it all is the incomparable Garland.