Soundtracking: "A Star is Born (1954)"
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 10:00AM Chris Feil's weekly look at music in the movies will be revisiting all of the musical remakes of A Star is Born in coming weeks. Here is 1954 and Judy Garland...
Musicals are known for their required suspension of disbelief, the fact that we must buy into a reality where people simply burst into song. But the legacy of A Star is Born has its own kind of suspension of disbelief: the notion that whatever legendary songstress that leads each version is some undiscovered talent. George Cukor’s 1954 version (the first to properly musicalize the story birthed in William A. Wellman’s 1937 original) requires the greatest leap. But there are few cinematic superstars in history as immediately convincing in their gifts as Judy Garland.
Casting such a powerhouse as a woefully undiscovered talent is absurd on paper, as if the film exists in some fantasy land where maybe she’s never opened her mouth or humans have ceased to have ears. Our buy-in to the conceit of the plot has to be as momentous as her implacable voice...
Of course at the time of its release, this was also positioned as a comeback of sorts for Garland, so the film carries some weight of rediscovery, an essential artist back in peak form. No wonder it’s not really a battle for authenticity - we want to buy whatever Garland is selling.
But it goes without saying that the star makes it believable. Her performance as Vicki Lester is a glorious mix of diminished confidence, ever expanding self-perception, and an uncontrollable tide of feeling that overcomes her timidness. This characterization is inextricable from Garland’s singing style, the uncommon musical performance where the songs feel like an extension or continuance of the rest of the performance rather than separate. And this is most evident when she sings the torchiest of torch songs, “The Man That Got Away”.
Here the now Esther, future Vicki is a melancholy soul of contradictory longings, burdened by trepidation while begging for something past her own grasp. As she sings of what she’s already lost, here is where she gains her fate: Norman Maine watching from afar, as if her song is a vision of their fateful future. Something in her is afraid to dream bigger, as Maine will note, but that soaring musical ability within her is a force even she can’t contain. It’s a quintessential, deceptively complicated performance from the legend that captivates throughout the decades, creating for us (and even the camera) a tunnel vision into the singularity that is Judy Garland.
It’s striking how quickly the film gives us its best song and somewhat offhandedly, though our and Vicki’s relationship evolves throughout the film as it underscores the following 2+ hours and Maine continues to reveal his troublesome nature. But the rest of its musical sequences allow us to delight in the wide range of Garland’s vocal prowess: her depths of sadness in “It’s A New World”, her rousing uplift in “Lose That Long Face”, or sweetness we can get lost in the nuance of like “Here’s What I’m Here For”.
But if “The Man That Got Away” is the finest present under A Star is Born’s tree, then its centerpiece “Born in a Trunk” smorgasbord is the biggest. Here is where we can feel the film’s enthusiasm for the reemergence of Garland, a near-fifteen minute musical medley extravaganza that allows her to throw all of her unwavering charms at the screen for a marathon session of musical glee. “A star is re-born” is cliche, but still rewardingly accurate to those who still find triumph in this return to form decades after the fact.
All Soundtracking installments can be found here!
Reader Comments (9)
I love love love love love this article. Well done. You've said so much about what makes Judy's performance and this franchise so singular and ever-fascinating.
The idea that Judy and her talent could hide under a bushel until her early 30's is a trifle hard to believe but in an age where band singers were plentiful and touring was common luck in being at the right place at the right time would play a factor adding a bit of a cushion to the idea. I
f Judy had had her way it might not have been necessary to suspend belief, she had tried to convince MGM to produce a version for her years earlier after she had done a radio version of the story but they felt it was too heavy for her image.
While none of the other new numbers are quite the equal of The Man That Got Away they are all good and Judy makes a meal of them plus the Born in a Trunk segment gives her a chance to work her magic on several standards, her Melancholy Baby is meltingly beautiful and Swanee simply amazing.
Chris, beautiful writing as always. I am finally seeing the new version Friday, and I am counting the minutes. So it's really nice to look back at this one and relive all of Judy's glorious moments. What a performance. I will never get over how brave Gaga must be to perform a Julie Andrews/Sound of Music tribute at the Oscars live, then take on this in Judy's shadow. The Lady is fearless. Lovely article, sir!
When I think of Judy Garland I think of certain songs, which pierce through me. The musical numbers in "A Star is Born" were made to showcase her incredible talent. There's a reason that they still move and delight us decades later.
They are timeless, unique, classic. And so was she, Judy Garland was a phenomenal performer.
Thanks for this article, and I hope this film entertains and inspires people for another 70 years.
Btw, In my opinion, New York, New York with Liza Minnelli was the real sequel to the Garland version, despite the difference in titles.
This is still's Oscars all time worst moment, denying her the Oscar for what is one of the greatest performances of all time.
Rewatched a couple weeks ago to prepare for Stefani Germanotta's finest hour (SEEING TONIGHT) and the film is still great and Judy is incredible. My favorite moment is the one man show Esther puts on for Norman in their living room. She's so captivating and they have so much natural chemistry in that scene.
And then that one take in "Lose That Long Face" where she transitions from crying in her dressing room to filming a rousing joyful production number is an incredible feat of acting.
I would add “Someone at Last” to any list of the film’s most electrifying musical moments.
The Man that Got Away scene was filmed in three versions, the final being the one used in the film. YouTube has the two outtakes available for viewing. The film version really is the best. Personally, I consider this song one of the best songs in a musical film. So classic and timeless.
Garland's "The Man Who Got Away" is one of the great moment of musical cinema