A young woman comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, and achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic leading man whose best days are behind him.A young woman comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, and achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic leading man whose best days are behind him.A young woman comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, and achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic leading man whose best days are behind him.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 4 wins & 7 nominations total
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams
- Posture Coach
- (as Guinn Williams)
Jean Acker
- Woman at Preview
- (uncredited)
Eric Alden
- Niles' Assistant
- (uncredited)
Irving Bacon
- Station Agent
- (uncredited)
Jane Barnes
- Waitress #1
- (uncredited)
Vince Barnett
- Otto
- (uncredited)
Clara Blandick
- Aunt Mattie
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- William A. Wellman
- Jack Conway(uncredited)
- Victor Fleming(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is widely considered to be the first Technicolor film that was a bona-fide critical and box office success. Until "A Star is Born" and "Nothing Sacred (1937)," color films had been garish, over-saturated and, as many critics complained, headache-inducing. Producer David O. Selznick insisted on muted, realistic color, and it was the success of these two films that paved the way for his Technicolor masterpiece "Gone with the Wind (1939)."
- GoofsThe Night Court Judge refers to the "commonwealth" of California, but California isn't one of the states with commonwealth status. The judge should have referred to the "state" instead.
- Quotes
Grandmother Lettie: If you've got one drop of my blood in your veins, you won't let Mattie or any of her kind break your heart, you'll go right out there and break it yourself.
- Alternate versionsAlso available in black and white
- ConnectionsEdited into What's Cookin' Doc? (1944)
- SoundtracksCalifornia, Here I Come
(1924) (uncredited)
Music by Joseph Meyer
(variations in the score as Esther arrives in Hollywood)
Featured review
colour stardom of Esther Blodgett
Janet Gaynor plays Esther Blodgett beautifully, a girl who leaves for Hollywood with dreams of film magazines and the blessing of her granny. Once there she finds it tough-going until meeting Norman Maine (Fredric March) at a party. We've already seen Norman drunk at a theatre but here he charms Esther and actually gets her into the movies before marrying her and watching his own career crumble. March is excellent in this, and the look of the film is surprisingly modern with its lovely technicolor and gadgets (I particularly like the shower in the motor home Esther and Norman take on honeymoon). Esther's move to become star Vicki Lester, Oscar-winning actress, is unbelievable but as her real-life tragedy unfolds, compelling. And who can stay dry-eyed at the end? Remade with music and Judy Garland in 1954 (very well) but this first version is a jewel amongst other 30s classics.
helpful•464
- didi-5
- Mar 8, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Kariera
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,173,639 (estimated)
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