Star! (1968)

Film based on life of actress Gertrude Lawrence, on- and offstage, takes the opportunity to feature extravagant musical production numbers with 'Julie Andrews' , acting, singing and dancing.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writer:

William Fairchild

Stars:

Julie Andrews, Richard Crenna, Michael Craig

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Andrews	...	Gertrude Lawrence
Richard Crenna	...	Richard Aldrich, Producer
Michael Craig	...	Sir Anthony Spencer
Daniel Massey	...	Noel Coward
Robert Reed	...	Charles Fraser
Bruce Forsyth	...	Arthur Lawrence
Beryl Reid	...	Rose
John Collin	...	Jack Roper
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Andre Charlot, Producer
Richard Karlan	...	David Holtzmann, Gertrude's Attorney
Lynley Laurence	...	Billie Carleton
Garrett Lewis	...	Jack Buchanan
Anthony Eisley	...	Ben Mitchell
Jock Livingston	...	Alexander Woollcott
J. Pat O'Malley	...	Dan

Storyline

Film based on life of actress Gertrude Lawrence, on- and offstage, takes the opportunity to feature extravagant musical production numbers with 'Julie Andrews' , acting, singing and dancing.

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Plot Keywords:

actress | singing | fashion show | stock footage | price of fame | 

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Taglines:

The Love Affair of the Century - Between a Woman, and the World!

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Genres:

Biography | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 October 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Loves of a Star!

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$4,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Wise Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

176 min 120 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to a Julie Andrews, biography Ian McKellen screen tested for the role of Noel Coward by performing Coward's own "Parisian Pierrot" and received an ovation from William Fairchild and the crew. However he lost out to Daniel Massey.

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Goofs

In the number "Burlington Bertie" the banana skin thrown onstage by Gertie disappears.

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Quotes

Noel Coward: You can't decide what you want until you decide who you are.

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Crazy Credits

The only credits seen at the beginning of the film are those for a fictional black-and-white short subject about Gertrude Lawrence. The film's real credits all appear at the end. However, the Twenieth-Century Fox logo is shown only in black-and-white, and with tinny 1940's-style sound recording, as part of that fictional newsreel. We never see the logo in color and stereophonic sound, although twentieth-Century Fox released "Star!"

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Connections

Referenced in Sam's Song (1969)

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Soundtracks

"My Ship"
from the play "Lady In The Dark"
Music by Kurt Weill
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Julie Andrews, accompanied by an uncredited pianist

User Reviews

Not very Wise

If somebody wins a fortune at a Casino, will you finance the winner to have another go? Absurd, right? That's what I'm afraid happened here. Robert Wise and Julie Andrews were coming out of the most sensational success with "The Sound of Music". The kind of success that tends to be unrepeatable. What were they thinking then? The experts, I mean. The green light guys. Gertrude Lawrence was not Maria Von Trapp. But Julie Andrews was, is and always will be Julie Andrews. For an actor that must be a blessing even if most actors treat it like a curse. We can accept Julie in everything as long as you don't expect us to forget that she's Julie. She can poke fun at herself and show her boobs in "S.O.B" or pretend to be a man pretending to be a woman in "Victor Victoria" She can also play a quadriplegic in bed with Liam Neeson in "Duet for One" because the writing and the treatment of the character is, one way or another, tailor made. She managed to be Julie Andrews without betraying what the public, her public expects of her. A blessing or a curse? It doesn't matter, the actress herself can decide whether is one thing or the other. Julie Andrews has remained a name to be reckon with. Right up to Shrek. Star! gives her some fantastic moments, musical moments. Surrounded by great production values and wonderful costumes plus a delightful Daniel Massey as Noel Coward. But the shape of the film is a mess. We can't truly connect with her and we get lost in the masses and masses of information. From biopic to comedy, to drama to musical the film never finds the right tone. Disjointed, confused and confusing. I'm sure the film will find a new breath of life after we stop breathing. There is something in it that it's valuable and great but, at the moment, remains buried under the puzzling heaviness of its intentions.