The Star (1952)

A washed-up movie queen finds romance, but still desires a comeback.

Director:

Stuart Heisler

Writers:

Dale Eunson (original screenplay), Katherine Albert (original screenplay)

Stars:

Bette Davis, Sterling Hayden, Natalie Wood

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bette Davis	...	Margaret Elliot
Sterling Hayden	...	Jim Johannsen aka Barry Lester
Natalie Wood	...	Gretchen
Warner Anderson	...	Harry Stone
Minor Watson	...	Joe Morrison
June Travis	...	Phyllis Stone
Paul Frees	...	Richard Stanley
Robert Warwick	...	R.J., Aging Actor at Party (as Robert Warrick)
Barbara Lawrence	...	Barbara Lawrence
Fay Baker	...	Faith
Herb Vigran	...	Roy

Storyline

Middle-aged Oscar winning actress Margaret Elliot - Maggie to those that know her - is a Hollywood has-been. Her life is in shambles. She clings to the hope of resurrecting her past movie stardom as a leading ingénue. No one will hire her, she's penniless with creditors selling off anything that she owns that is of monetary value, and she has no one to turn to that can see her through financially. She has in the past supported her sister and brother-in-law, who still want to use her as their meal ticket. Divorced from her actor husband, she shares joint custody of their teen-aged daughter Gretchen, from who Maggie tries to hide her problems. When it looks as if Maggie has hit rock bottom, Jim Johannsen re-enters her life. Jim, who once had the stage name Barry Lester, got his big break in Hollywood movies by Maggie. He came to the quick realization that he was neither good as an actor or that he wanted to do it as a profession. He now works as a boat parts supplier and mechanic. Jim ...

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Plot Keywords:

fictional celebrity | joint custody | screen test | reference to palos verdes california | reference to gregory peck | 

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Taglines:

The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Estrela

Filming Locations:

Old Zoo, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bert E. Friedlob Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bette Davis reported that she modeled her performance as the aging, has been, drunken 'star' actress in the film after Joan Crawford, a real actress who was Bette Davis' contemporary, competition, and a lifelong enemy which she publicly ridiculed throughout both their careers; to what extent this is true could be argued, but there's no question about her wearing the famous Crawford ankle strap shoes when she views her disastrous screen test.

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Goofs

When Margaret goes to work in a department store, she descends an escalator and all sorts of electrical cables from the film production can be seen on the floor beneath.

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Quotes

Margaret Elliott: Haven't you ever cried because you're happy?
Gretchen: No.
Margaret Elliott: Well, you see, some people cry when they're happy and laugh when they're mad.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)

User Reviews

Camp fest

To compare "The Star" to "Sunset Boulevard" and "All About Eve" is to do an injustice to those films. They are classics because at their helm were Billy Wilder and Jospeh Mankiewicz, directors of great intelligence and above all great style – qualities blatantly missing in "The Star".

"The Star" has no style whatsoever. All it has is a big star, Bette Davis. Ironically her character boasts having directed more than one director and that's exactly what seems to be happening here. Hers was a talent that needed to be harnessed by a strong director. Stuart Heisler clearly leaves Davis to her own devices and what results is an over the top, campy, mannered performance. Of course her fans will eat it up. But this is not good acting. Its acting that weakens what from the start is not a strongly scripted film.

"The Star" should have been memorable as a film about ageing in Hollywood, an ever pertinent subject, rather than being memorable as Bette Davis camp fest.