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:

Unbelievable Julie!

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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

Daniel Massey plays Noel Coward, his own godfather.

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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

Featured in Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s (2002)

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Soundtracks

"The Saga of Jenny"
from the play "Lady In The Dark"
Music by Kurt Weill
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Julie Andrews, accompanied by an uncredited pianist
then done as the show finale

User Reviews

Julie Andrews is the Star! of this movie

Star! is publicized as the flop that ended Julie Andrews' career. None of the blame should be laid at Julie's feet however. Her performance, especially in the musical numbers, is unparalleled. Julie WAS the greatest musical star of her day: if you don't believe me, imagine Barbra (whom I adore also) being tossed around by chorus boys in the "Jenny" finale. Also, kudos must go to Daniel Massey as Noel Coward: he could have really "camped" up the role but, thankfully, he played it with restraint. The problem with the movie is that it is constructed with the great musical numbers connected by a very flawed & minimal plot. Furthermore, the musical numbers don't advance the plot at all (only in a few spots do they even parallel Gertrude Lawrence's life-situations of the moment). So, what we're left with is a revue...a pastiche of musical numbers..a Ziegfield Follies of 1968!! So, the character of Gertrude Lawrence isn't fleshed out enough for audience sympathy to develop. Finally, the choice of imitating b&w newsreel footage just doesn't work and further distances the audience from the movie. Check it out though---the musical numbers are super-spectacular and Julie Andrews gives a Star!-performance