[Restored version] / restored by Ron Haver ; supervised by Gene Allen.
Publisher:
Warner Bros.,
Copyright Date:
1984? ; United States :
Description:
viewing copy 2 videodiscs of 2 (optical) (176 min.) : sd., col. ; 12 in. theatrical projection print 22 film reels of 22 on 13 (ca. 176 min. , ca. 15,840) : sd., col. ; 35 mm.
Copyright notice on videodisc jacket: Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. ; 1954 (content and photography). Copyright notice on videodisc jacket: Warner Bros., Inc. ; 1983 (artwork) and Warner Bros., Inc. ; 1984 (package design & summary). Judy Garland, James Mason, Jack Carson, Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan, Lucy Marlow. Originally released theatrically by Warner Bros. in 1955. Possible reissue date for videodisc from copyright notice (package design & summary) on jacket. Two discs in one jacket. On disc label/jacket: no. 11335LV. Restored in 1983. On disc jacket: In 1954, motion picture exhibitors complained about the original 181 minute premiere length of this film, so Warner Bros. shortened the film by 27 minutes, deleting two musical numbers (Here's what I'm here for & Lose that long face) and several early sequences detailing the growing emotional involvement of rising star Esther Blodgett/Vicki Lester and alcoholic, self-destructive actor Norman Maine. This restoration includes all but a few minutes of the missing scenes. Based on the 1937 screenplay of A star is born, by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell and Robert Carson; story by William Wellman and Robert Carson. Theatrical projection print was donated when this film was selected for the National Film Registry. DLC LC also holds a non-viewing print of the 1954 film in the Copyright Collection. DLC Theatrical projection print viewed for credits. Sources used: M/B/RS Film & television catalog card; videodisc jacket and label; Catalog of copyright entries, motion pictures, 1950-1959; Baseline, viewed July 25, 2002; Internet movie database WWW site, viewed February 12, 2016.
Summary:
"Norman Maine, a movie star whose career is on the wane, meets showgirl Esther Blodgett when he drunkenly stumbles into her act one night. A friendship develops, then blossoms into romance before tensions increase as Esther's career takes off while Norman's continues to plummet"--Internet movie database.
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