This said though, the 1954 Judy Garland film is still a fine film with timeless songs and Garland's best ever performance. Both are streets ahead of the 1976 Barbra Streisand version where the only outstanding things are three of her songs and her singing, the rest is an example of a film with a couple of other small pluses and too many big minuses. This version from 1937 is wonderful, it is too short and it is a case of the second half is better than the first half(though this is more an even better rather than a significantly better) but there's still plenty to love. The early strip Technicolor is ravishing, and the film looks just as lavish as the 1954 film with a real Hollywood behind-the-scenes feel. It's beautifully scored too, you don't have those truly great songs from the 1954 which is a pity in a way but when everything is done as well as it is you don't miss them either. The screenplay has since become classic status, and with dialogue that is vibrant, witty, heart-breaking and caustic along with one of the greatest ever last lines it is very easy to see why. It is the story mainly where this scores a little over 1954(very close together these two are), the pacing is more fluid, the storytelling is perhaps more sensitive and I found myself moved more, the ending is genuinely poignant. The drama is hugely compelling in the second half, aided by William A Wellman's intelligent direction, the first half is not quite so much but unlike the 1976 film hardly is it a slog either. The performances are top-notch, Adolphe Menjou and Lionel Stander coming off the best in supporting roles, of the three films it's this version with the most well-fleshed-out characters in my opinion. Janet Gaynor is eclipsed by Judy Garland, but does wonderfully in her own way, her character is the kind that goes on a journey(literally and in character) and Gaynor captures that youthful naivety developing into maturity very well. Best of all is Fredric March in one of his finest performances, a more meaty role than Gaynor's but one done with great theatrical command and touching nuance. One of the best things about this film absolutely. The two do have good chemistry and you do at least believe what the two characters individually and together are going through, it's done a little better in the 1954 film but you don't get any of this at all in the one from 1976. To conclude, poignant, lavish, beautifully performed and superbly written, a great film and the best version. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Review of A Star Is Born
