A Star is Born (1954)
I am undone. Trying to write about this movie
has brought me low--three tissues low. Art imitates life, but in a mirror so
that Judy Garland must look at herself critically and respond to the
destruction through James Mason's tragic character. It's too much, yet there's
more. She reenacts her past with the stripping of her identity/name, the
reshaping of her nose and the altering of her unacceptable appearance.
The lines blur as her real life continues to peek through. A piece of property,
to be poked and prodded, medicated and demeaned, so that she will perform
accordingly. I can't watch any of her films without thinking about the too high
price and this movie is the most difficult of all. How do I appreciate properly
something that has cost the giver everything?
This is one of the great films of all time, especially if we know Garland's life. She presents some of the most magnificent musical performances here. I am so glad to have caught up with this film.
ReplyDeleteI ponder on why this movie isn't in my top 100, for just the reasons you mention. It's so painful to watch, that I can't do it very often, for I'm inevitably mourning the loss. Movies like this, I keep in a hidden mental nook somewhere, where I only take them out, if I find the need to remember, again.
ReplyDeleteThe picture you chose is perfect.