Film Friday: A Star Is Born (1954)
In honour of Judy Garland's 94th birthday, which is today, this week on «Film Friday» I bring you one of her most iconic pictures, the one that should have given her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Groucho Marx was right; it was «the biggest robbery since Brinks.» Directed by George Cukor, A Star Is Born (1954) tells the story of Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), a band singer who saves screen legend Norman Maine (James Mason) from complete humiliation when he arrives drunk at a benefit show at the Shrine Auditorium. Once sober, Norman goes looking for Esther and finds her performing in an after-hours club. Impressed by her talent, he convinces her to leave her band and pursue a career in motion pictures, promising to introduce her to studio head Oliver Niles (Charles Bickford). Just as Esther arrives in Hollywood, Norman is called away to filming on location and is unable to reach her. Assuming that he was being insincere, Esther becomes determined to make it with or without ...