Overview
A tale of ambition and heartbreak unfolds in the glitzy world of Hollywood.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- glamorous
- melancholic
- sardonic
- classic movie night
- romantic drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, convincing, and artistically accomplished Hollywood drama whose storytelling elevates a familiar backstage premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Esther's rise and Norman's decline expose Hollywood's glamor machine as both opportunity and destructive institution.
Esther becomes a major star while Norman Maine's career fades, reshaping their marriage and power balance.
The film places its marriage and personal crises inside the production culture of Hollywood show business.
Norman's screen persona and Esther's public success stand against alcoholism, vulnerability, and marital strain away from the spotlight.
Films like A Star Is Born, and why
Sunset Boulevard
shared backstage Hollywood setting, romantic drama, and tension between rising and fading stardom
The Bad and the Beautiful
shared show business milieu, ambition, celebrity culture, and emotionally tragic romance
The Player
shared Hollywood satire, romantic melodrama, and critique of the entertainment machine
A Star Is Born
shared performer ambition, artistic success, alcoholism, and intimate relationship drama
Movie Details
- Director
- William A. Wellman
- Release Date
- 1937-04-20
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (246)
Cast
- Janet Gaynor
- Fredric March
- Adolphe Menjou
- May Robson
- Andy Devine
- Lionel Stander
- Owen Moore
- Peggy Wood
- Elizabeth Jenns
- Edgar Kennedy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Brew, Pure Flix, FlixFling, Great American Pure Flix Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Star Is Born about?
- A determined young actress rises through Hollywood while her alcoholic screen-star husband confronts the cruel decline of his own fame.
- What is A Star Is Born like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Star Is Born as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is A Star Is Born violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in A Star Is Born.
- What did critics think of A Star Is Born?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, convincing, and artistically accomplished Hollywood drama whose storytelling elevates a familiar backstage premise.
- Which films are like A Star Is Born?
- Films with a similar feel include Sunset Boulevard, The Bad and the Beautiful, The Player, and A Star Is Born.
- How long is A Star Is Born?
- A Star Is Born runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Star Is Born?
- In United States, A Star Is Born streams on Brew, Pure Flix, FlixFling, Great American Pure Flix Amazon Channel.
