A Star is Born (1954)

 George Cukor's "A Star is Born"

There is a long and storied history in Hollywood of remaking "A Star is Born" for each, new generation. Directly based on the 1937 original, George Cukor's 1954 adaptation sticks to the basic framework of the story. In this adaptation, Judy Garland stars as the 'star on the rise,' while James Mason plays the older, fading star on the out.

I did enjoy this version of the film far more than I enjoyed the 1937 original. More particularly, the immaculate direction by George Cukor, whom I believe now has his greatest visual achievement under his belt. I say that knowing that his 1964 film "My Fair Lady" will likely supersede this honor. However, I feel as though Cukor's use of color in this film created some of the most striking images I've seen in a Hollywood picture at the time. 

While I did enjoy the visual prowess of Cukor's direction, I was once again let down by the story. I truly believe that, despite its continued use, the story does have much complexity to it or intrigue. Its a basic story of a rising star in the entertainment industry, paralleled with a disastrous fall. Beyond that, it serves no real source of insight into anything. I think this would be all right if the runtime of the film was trimmed down to something far more constructive. However, the 3 hour experience really took a toll on me, given that there wasn't much in the story to chew on.

That being said, I feel as though this is Judy Garland showcasing her best acting performance of her career. That, along with Cukor's direction, makes this adaption of "A Star is Born" perhaps the best adaption of the four. And yet, it still lacks something.