a young country girl name ester blodgett ( janet gaynor ) arrive in hollywood fill with dream of become a famous movie starlet . however and she get nowhere until she notice by famous movie star norman maine ( fredric march ) and a performer on his way down in term of popular appeal . the two fall in love but just a ester star and under the stage name vicki lester begin to rise and maine begin to fade . the best thing about this film be the performance give by fredric march a actor norman maine . he nail the inner emotional turmoil go on inside his character and make him always sympathetic to the viewer even a maine fall in and out of sobriety . it maine character that prove most interesting to the viewer here a march completely steal the film away from star janet gaynor . gaynor doesn not prove quite a appeal or convince in her lead role a ester blodgett or vicki lester and honestly it hard to see why the public should favor her so . maybe this be to symbolize the fickleness of the public in that they should prefer a pretty new face over a talented old one . who know . nevertheless gaynor just doesn not ever prove a appeal here in her role a she should .