Which 1954 musical starred Judy Garland as Esther Blodgett?
Answer
A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born is the 1954 musical starring Judy Garland as Esther Blodgett. Directed by George Cukor, the film follows Esther’s rise from a struggling performer to a celebrated movie star while the career of Norman Maine, played by James Mason, declines.
The film was a remake of the 1937 A Star Is Born and was produced by Garland’s then-husband, Sidney Luft, through Transcona Enterprises. It was Garland’s first film after leaving MGM, and the role gave her some of her most admired musical and dramatic material.
The soundtrack includes “The Man That Got Away,” with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, as well as the extended “Born in a Trunk” sequence. Warner Bros. substantially cut the film after its premiere, reducing its running time and removing important musical and dramatic scenes. Later restoration work recovered and reconstructed much of the missing material.
The 1954 version is distinct from the 1937 original, the 1976 Barbra Streisand remake, and the 2018 Bradley Cooper–Lady Gaga version. Garland won the Golden Globe for Best Actress, though she was not awarded the competitive Oscar for the performance.