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20/04/1937 Drama, Romance 1h 51m
72
User score

Is the price of stardom a broken heart?

Overview

Esther Blodgett is just another starry-eyed farm kid trying to break into the movies. Waitressing at a Hollywood party, she catches the eye of her idol Norman Maine, is sent for a screen test, and before long attains stardom as newly minted Vicki Lester. She and Norman marry, though his career soon dwindles to nothing due to his chronic alcoholism.

  1. William A. Wellman

    Director

  2. David O. Selznick

    Writer

  3. Ben Hecht

    Writer

Top billed cast

  1. Janet Gaynor

    Esther Blodgett

  2. Fredric March

    Norman Maine

  3. Adolphe Menjou

    Oliver Niles

  4. May Robson

    Lettie Blodgett

  5. Andy Devine

    Danny McGuire

  6. Lionel Stander

    Matt Libby

  7. Owen Moore

    Casey Burke

  8. Peggy Wood

    Miss Phillips

  9. Elizabeth Jenns

    Anita Regis

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Reviews

A review by CinemaSerf
Written by CinemaSerf on 2022-06-20
Janet Gaynor was at the top of her game with the almost Dickens' inspired name "Esther Blodgett" - an aspiring actress who moves to Hollywood and happens upon a drunken, self-destructive "Norman Maine" (Fredric March) as she waitresses at a party. His star is definitely on the wain, but he sees something in her and before long she is topping the bill. No singing in this version, which I think makes it a grittier adaptation of the story. Oddly enough, I find that the colour is quite distracting - it would have looked much better in black and white. That said, the dialogue is sharp and the pace ...read the rest
Read All Reviews

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Status
Released

Original Language
English

Budget
$1,200,000.00

Revenue
$2,370,000.00

Keywords