The Star

"The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!"

1952 1h 29m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

🥫

25%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.9

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 49🥫25%Rotten Tomatoes●54Metacritic★6.9IMDB · 4,644

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Actress Margaret Elliot is well past her prime but refuses to retire from the acting business. Despite entreaties from both her daughter, Gretchen, and one-time professional colleague Jim Johannsen, Margaret remains convinced that she can regain her former glory. As she sets her sights on a coveted Hollywood role, Johannsen tries doggedly to get his unrequited love to see the folly of her ways.

“The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Bette Davis
Margaret Elliot
Sterling Hayden
Jim Johannsen aka Barry Lester
Natalie Wood
Gretchen
Warner Anderson
Harry Stone
Minor Watson
Joe Morrison
June Travis
Phyllis Stone
Paul Frees
Richard Stanley
Robert Warwick
R.J. an Aging Actor at Party

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Stuart Heisler
Writers: Katherine Albert, Dale Eunson
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

74 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Stuart Heisler, shot by Ernest Laszlo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Victor Young. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Bette Davis and Sterling Hayden and Natalie Wood carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0045186 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 49 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Stuart Heisler directs. Ernest Laszlo behind the camera. Victor Young scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
274 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Stuart Heisler, shot by Ernest Laszlo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Victor Young. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Bette Davis and Sterling Hayden and Natalie Wood carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!".
7IMDB entry: tt0045186 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 49 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.