have see the two late version of this tale and it be a surprise to find the original one and even if it doesn not compare with the 50 remake with judy garland . this one be worth a look because of the great cinematography and the use of color for a film make in the early year of it invention . william wellman deserve credit for his direction of a hollywood story about itself . the mere idea of young and very naive and esther blodgett make it big in hollywood and be stretch the imagination big time . this girl from the heart of the country yearn to be somebody in the picture that be her escape from the dreary life she lead . to even think that she would have a chance in become a bit player and be a stretch of the imagination and but to have her become a star in her own right with her unsophisticated look and be even hard to believe . hollywood of those year be a factory of dream where many go to be part of it and but for one esther blodgett and there be thousand who be reject . we watch a esther be transform into vicki lester and a star large than life and who capture the public imagination and go to eclipse big star such a norman maine and her discoverer and and the man she fall in love with . norman decline be very fast and while vicki ascent into glory be even faster . his drinking habit will get the best of him at a time when help agency such a a. a. do not exist . unfortunately for vicki and she ultimately have to pay for her own meteoric success . the cast be superb . not be a fan of janet gaynor and i have to confess that she strike the right note with her esther or vicki role . she be totally believable even though we never even see her take an acting class and much less see her wait table to help herself . frederick march bring an intensity to norman and the self destructive star and that make u pity him . adolphe menjou be the studio head who see a winner in the young and aspiring actress and and give her the chance . most surprising of all be the star performance of lionel standing a matt libby and the studio publicist who be behind the creation of the new star . andy devine and may robson and and the rest be equally satisfy . this film be a happy surprise in many aspect and will not disappoint .