A Star is Born (1937)

This first version of 'A Star is Born' is my favorite of the three versions I've seen (the others being the 1954 and 2018 remakes, both of which are quite good). I like this one best for a number of reasons, one it's principally about the film industry which I have more of an emotional connection with then the music industry, and two I just tend to favor original versions over remakes, they are inherently fresher and more creative. At the time this movie came out "classic Hollywood" had only been around for maybe a quarter century, and that's generious, and sound films only about a decade. So many of the arch types of "Hollywood" were remarkably well established already and the story of the young hopeful who wins out against the odds and makes good in the industry had a resonance then that it still has today. Fredric March is quite good in this as Norman Main but Janet Gaynor is the heart of the thing, giving an extremely endearing performance as Esther Blodgett come Vicki Lester. Good supporting cast includes Adolphe Menjou and Andy Devin. Also seeing mid 1930's Hollywood in color is a treat in itself. I'm a little surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did given I'd already seen the story a few times before, still I'm giving it ****