A Star is Born (1937)

 William A. Wellman's "A Star is Born"


Adapted several times over the last 80 years, "A Star is Born" demonstrated the fickle nature of fame, success, and industry. Written by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, and Robert Carson, the film follows a young up-and-coming star as she rises to the heights of Hollywood stardom, while her alcoholic movie star husband begins to slide down the ladder of obscurity. Many thought the plot of the film closely resembled the careers and relationships between Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay. However, this has never actually been confirmed. The film was also one of the first major Hollywood technicolor films that was considered both a critical and commercial success. The film seemed to be a starting point for the kinds of films that producer David O. Selznick would be making for the next several decades. After the wild success of "A Star is Born," David went on to produce large, epic, technicolor box office smashes like "Nothing Sacred," "Gone with the Wind," and "Duel in the Sun." "A Star is Born" proved that a large, big-budget Hollywood film could be self-reflective itself.



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