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starring: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy Devinedirected by: Jack Conway, William A. Wellman
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786304463741
Format: Color, NTSC
ISBN: 630446374X
Label: Kino International
Manufacturer: Kino International
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Kino International
Release Date: May 13, 1997
Running Time: 111 minutes
Sales Rank: 37804
Studio: Kino International
Theatrical Release Date: April 27, 1937
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
'This is Mrs. Norman Maine,' proclaims Janet Gaynor, fighting back the tears as she addresses her fans while still rocked by personal tragedy. It's the kind of grandiose gesture we love in a movie star, and the original A Star Is Born is gloriously grand with a cynical undercurrent. William Wellman, working from a sharp screenplay cowritten by the acerbic Dorothy Parker, strikes a balance between romantic glamour and tragic melodrama, all accomplished with a barely concealed caustic wit. It's a Cinderella story of a fresh-faced farm girl, the improbably named Esther Blodgett (they have a lot of fun with that one) who transforms into screen icon Vicki Lester when she comes to the attentions of matinee idol Norman Maine (Fredric March). But when the deliriously happy couple marries, Vicki's rise to the top is counterbalanced by Norman's fall from grace, a precipitous plummet from stardom to alcoholism and bitterness. Gaynor's milk-fed wholesomeness is a tad corny next to March's worldly cynicism, but she's a movie star through and through. Adolphe Menjou costars as a mercenary agent with a sing-song patter. One of the quintessential Hollywood Self-portraits, A Star Is Born was remade twice and was itself inspired by George Cukor's wonderful What Price Hollywood? and the real-life story of Colleen Moore and John McCormick. March based his character on John Gilbert and John Barrymore. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Great Original Version
I didn't expect to be impressed with this original version of "A Star Is Born." I have seen the Judy Garland/James Mason musical and I just didn't think this would be able to live up to that movie. Boy, was I ever wrong. I should have known that anything with Janet Gaynor and Frederick March were in, would be great. They are both such great actors that you loose yourself in the film. The story is the same in that veteran actor meets new actress, they fall in love and get married. While his career ... Read More
Rating: - Wonderful
A STAR IS BORN is the story of an innocent young woman who rises to fame in Hollywood. Her movie star husband helps her get started in her career while he is already on the skids because of his alcoholic behavior. Besides telling a great yarn the film also provides a candid expose of the movie industry before World War II. Janet Gaynor and Fredric March are superb in the leading roles. The strong supporting cast includes Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy Devine and Lionel Stander.
Janet ... Read More
Rating: - Tragic, unforgettable love story
The 1937 original version of "A Star Is Born" is a moving, observant drama about an aging, fading movie matinee idol, Norman Maine, played by Fredric March, who discovers and marries a struggling young actress, Esther Blodgett, portrayed by the lovely Janet Gaynor.
Norman has a chance encounter with Esther at a concert and then again at a fancy Hollywood party where she is moonlighting as a waitress. He is immediately taken by her natural beauty and sweetness. Norman chooses Esther to ... Read More
Rating: - THIS IS THE 1.......
This is the original... The best.... It has a great feel of the Hollywood that was... Gaynor and March are great. I love u Judy - but THIS is THE classic film of the often-told-story... Judy is a class act, but HER film was/is not a classic.
BUY IT FOR GOODNES-SAKES hehehe:)(:
Rating: - This KINO print is excellent!
I went ahead and bought this VHS edition from KINO, and I must say it is THE BEST print of this film to be found. I discovered Fredric March in 2002, and in one year collected over 54 of his films. During this time, I bought 2 other VHS versions of A STAR IS BORN; the first one was horrible...scratchy sound, the mouths didn't match with the words, blurry and washed out color. The second one was a bit better, color not so good, but at least the movement of their mouths was in step with the soundtrack. ... Read More
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