‘A Star Is Born’ (1954) Or A Star Dies? The Tragedy of ‘Norman Maine’ and Judy Garland.

Judge George J. Barnes

Were you Norman Maine the actor?

Norman Maine

Yes.

‘A Star Is Born’ is a 1954 American musical tragedy film written by Moss Hart, starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and directed by George Cukor. I am pretty sure most of you if not all of you who are reading this have seen the film. Probably quite a few times. I watched it again very recently on the BBC iplayer and this time maybe because I am much older (and possibly a little wiser) saw it in a completely fresh light.

I had in the past been completely overwhelmed by the star personality and performance of Judy Garland. And of course that had been the intention of her then husband Sidney Luft. On the face of it the film is the story of a vocalist with a dance band who catches the bleary, wistful eye of a topnotch male star, an alcoholic, now skidding on the downgrade, and gets his help toward motion-picture fame. Garland is incredible as singer, dancer and actor. Her performance is so perfect because it is so believable. I have no doubt she drew from her own life experience at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

The core of the drama is the story of their marriage and their struggle to hold fast to the fragile…