A Star Is Born (1937) • The Next Reel

"Remember, Esther: for every dream of yours you make come true, you’ll pay the price in heartbreak." The story is one that people connect with – a desire to follow your dreams, as crazy as they may be, and what happens when you make it. But with the rise of a new talent in each iteration of A Star Is Born, we also see the decline of another. Perhaps it’s that emotional balance between these two journeys that makes this such a popular story to tell and retell. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our “A Star Is Born” series right at the beginning with William A. Wellman’s 1937 film A Star Is Born. We talk about the origins of the film and how it was really birthed in George Cukor’s 1932 film What Price Hollywood?. We look at Janet Gaynor and Fredric March as our two leads and what they bring to the table. We discuss the story issues we have with the film, notably the disappearance of our lead’s family from the story for the bulk of the film, and why it feels problematic. And we look at the technical side of the film, notably the beautiful technicolor cinematography by W. Howard Greene, as well as Max Steiner’s score (plus a song we didn’t know was part of the film apparently). It’s a great start to our series and certainly is one that sets the stage for the tale of fame and tragedy that we’re going to be seeing over and over again. We have a great time discussing it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins. Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel! Film SundriesThank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • YouTubeOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkWhat Price Hollywood - dir. George Cukor“A Star Is Born” by Buddy Clark and the Eddy Duchin OrchestraFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible