A Star Is Born

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A Star Is Born

PG,

1954,

2h 56m,

Musical

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Watchlist

98%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Hollywood actor Norman Maine (James Mason) is a celebrity whose star is on the wane, but when he meets aspiring actress Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), he is inspired to help her, and soon the two appear in a musical together. Now known as Vicki Lester, she marries Norman and finds herself in demand, while his reputation continues to decline, resulting in heavy bouts of drinking. Eventually, Vicki must choose between moving forward with her career and attempting to save her husband.

Critics Consensus

A Star is Born is a movie of grand scope and intimate moments, featuring Judy Garland's possibly greatest performance.

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TIME Staff

TIME Magazine

Oct 3, 2018

All this, plus a dozen big musical sequences, makes Star a mighty long gulp of champagne; but, like champagne, it is hard to refuse.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Oct 3, 2018

Judy Garland gives everything she has as the young star on the way up; her performance is an emotional autobiography.

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Jack Moffitt

The Hollywood Reporter

Oct 3, 2018

A Star Is Born is the perfect blend of drama and musical - of cinematic art and popular entertainment.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Oct 21, 2025

3.5/4

At the time, it was business as usual; today, it’s largely considered one of the biggest gyps in Academy Award history.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jun 17, 2022

4/5

…friends and fans of Judy will want to see her swing successfully for the fences here in a performance that fascinates because of how it does, and does not, reflect the truth of her troubled career…

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Herman G. Weinberg

Film Culture

Jun 7, 2022

Something of the monstrous artificiality of Hollywood comes through most acutely in various incisive touches and certainly A Star is Born will take its place among the most acutely observed films about Hollywood life.

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Hagrid S

Dec 15, 2018

A Hollywood classic from the lauded Golden Age, A Star Is Born might be a remake, but it stands today as the definitive cinematic rendition of the story, largely due to Judy Garland's astonishingly committed performance and her incredible set of pipes. The version I watched was just shy of 3 hours, and I've heard the shorter versions were cut down and ruined as a result, but this one also seemed to suffer from editorial problems. Many scenes end abruptly, its full of sharp, jarring cuts, and in the first half there's several scenes where the dialogue plays, but the visuals are replaced with sepia-toned stills. It was annoying to say the least, and ruined every scene in which it happened. I enjoyed the story for the most part, and the performances were excellent, but the main problem was that songs, while well-performed, often go on far too long and don't always contribute to the story. The 3-hour runtime is unnecessary, but the scale and scope of the film is admirable to say the least, and I'm glad I got to see one of Judy Garland's defining performances. I wouldn't watch it again in a hurry, but have no regrets about doing it once.

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Harry R

Dec 13, 2018

Though I feel it's a bit longer than it should be (I watched the 175 minute version), A Star Is Born is an emotional roller coaster with a great performance by Judy Garland.

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Rey W

Nov 3, 2018

Horrendous editing Baffled at thw high ratings for this 3 hour trudge

Anakin S

Nov 1, 2018

Unforgettable. An artistic triumph on every level. JUDY WAS ROBBED of her Oscar.

Rey P

Oct 7, 2018

Forget the 1937 version, this is a much superior remake that does right everything (except for that awful last line) that the original film did wrong (at least for later standards), with Garland in a stellar performance especially during her "Someone at Last" number in the living room.

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Hagrid P

Oct 3, 2018

Horrible movie. I fell asleep 15 minutes into the movie and the usher had to wake me up half way through due to my snoring.

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George Cukor

Director

Judy Garland

Esther Blodgett

James Mason

Norman Maine

Jack Carson

Matt Libby

Charles Bickford

Oliver Niles

Tommy Noonan

Danny McGuire

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Synopsis

Hollywood actor Norman Maine (James Mason) is a celebrity whose star is on the wane, but when he meets aspiring actress Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), he is inspired to help her, and soon the two appear in a musical together. Now known as Vicki Lester, she marries Norman and finds herself in demand, while his reputation continues to decline, resulting in heavy bouts of drinking. Eventually, Vicki must choose between moving forward with her career and attempting to save her husband.

Director: George Cukor
Producer: Sidney Luft
Screenwriter: Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, William A. Wellman, Moss Hart
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 1954, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 4, 2016
Runtime: 2h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround

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