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Star!

Star!

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THIS MOVIE RULES JULIE IS AT HER ABSOLUTE BEST!!
Review: This is one of the greatest movies i have of Julie Andrews I tresure it. She looks glamerous, like a real STAR! the set is great and she shines in it. A lot of people say it wasn't good but they probably had very bad movie taste SEE IT ALL JULIE FANS, SEE IT!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Julie at her best
Review: Julie Andrews goes against her "good-girl" image as the self-centered, bitchy, Gertrude Lawrence in the outstanding musical biography, STAR!

Played by Andrews with gusto and sheer brilliance, Lawrence comes across as a not very likable person. Indeed, in real life, Lawrence was a pushy, shrill woman who took everything as it came.

Starting with Lawrence's beginnings in Clapham, London, it traces her rise to fame. Incorporating many beautiful songs like "Limehouse Blues", "Parisian Pierrot", "Jenny", "Dear Little Boy", "Star!", and "Piccadilly", it's very entertaining, and the time flies by.

Also starring Daniel Massey, Beryl Reid, Michael Craig and Jenny Agutter, STAR! is great musical entertainment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Musical!
Review: I don't understand how this movie could have been considered a box office flop when it was nominated for 7 Oscars! It is my all-time favorite musical, and I can watch it over and over again. The reason I love it so much is because you don't see your typical Julie Andrews. She is just downright ignorant in this movie, and she acts it out so well. She is VERY talented, and I think this is her best movie. The music and costumes are also great! All the musical numbers are excellent, and I can't pick a favorite. The same goes for cotumes. I could never pick a favorite there. If you've never watched this movie, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Julie Andrews and Robert Wise make a Star Team
Review: This 1968 film from director Robert Wise is based on the biography of stage star Gertrude Lawrence portrayed exquisitely by Julie Andrews. Incredible sets from production designer Boris Leven and beautiful color Todd-AO cinematography by Ernest Laszlo combine for handsome images a hallmark of director Wise. Daniel Massey playing Noel Coward gives a real standout performance. This film has been long underrated. Watching it the viewer can feel the true star power of Julie Andrews come through as Robert Wise had intended. Robert Wise is one in a handful of great directors. The marketing department along with misguided reviews is responsible for abandoning this great film into obscurity. Don't let that happen! Get this one!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Julie Andrews Shows Why She Is A STAR!
Review: Even given a poor screenplay Miss Andrews is more than capable of giving the performance of her career. William Fairchild's unfortunate story (or lack of one) still gives Julie Andrews ample opportunity to show a broad range of emotions and perform in about fifteen exquisite production numbers as Gertrude Lawrence as various characters. We are treated to a sophisticated score by Gershwin, Coward, Weil and others. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about STAR! is the production values. Michael Kidd does an outstanding job staging the musical numbers, making his next assignment, HELLO, DOLLY! pale in comparison. Donald Brooks, the fashion legend, does perhaps one of the finest design jobs ever for motion pictures. Miss Andrews wears 125 different costumes, each more beautiful than the next. This is the first film since MGM's THE WOMEN to write in a fashion show just to showcase the costumes. Boris Levin also does a smashing job with the art direction. So what are we left with? A Dazzling Julie Andrews in spectacular musical numbers, but very obviously a bad screenplay. Perhaps the problem was they did not take the story through to Gertrude Lawrence's untimely death while performing in THE KING AND I. Also recent biographies have brought out a secret lesbian life that Miss Lawrence led which certainly would have spiced things up and now does of makes sence of her inability throughout most of STAR! to decide on what man to marry. But we must keep in mind we are dealing with the morals of 1968! In any case this is one not to be missed!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Julie and Musical Numbers Terrific
Review: Julie Andrews proved what a fine actress she is portraying the not-so-Poppinsy Gertie Lawrence. Musical numbers are first rate but the movie is much too long. They spend far too much time dealing with her first and second husbands. It probably would have been better to gloss over the first two and concentrate on her third and end the movie with her death following her bigt success in THE KING AND I. Movie is worth having for Julie and the musical numbers but you can fast forward through the whole section with her second husband. Boring!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This "Star" definitely shines!
Review: Julie Andrews received most of the blame for the critical and financial failure of this film. Critics were not kind to her because she sought to drop her so-called "wholesome" image with her performance of Gertrude Lawrence. Actually the problem, if there is one, is the script. With its integration of newsreel footage, both real and re-enacted, and the behind-the-scenes story of the star who was once the toast of the Broadway and London stages, the film takes on a rather disjointed look. But the technique is an original, innovative and generally successful one. The musical numbers are exceptional with "Berlington Bertie...", "Limehouse Blues" and the finale, "Jenny" among the highlights. Daniel Massey as Noel Coward nearly steals the show. But above all there is Julie! She is magnificent! Surely no one else could have taken on the enviable but difficult task of portraying Lawrence in a massive production like this one. Her work is on a par with MARY POPPINS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, HAWAII, VICTOR/VICTORIA and DUET FOR ONE! The close-mindedness of the critics and audiences at the time of STAR!'s release does not diminish the fact that the acting, singing and dancing of Andrews is a monumental achievement and elevates the film to near greatness! If you can see this film in a letterboxed, surround sound edition or better still in a widescreen movie theatre it is even better. The truncated version that is the most widely seen runs around 120 minutes and should be avoided. Try and catch the 175 minute version. You will not be sorry!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A WINNER
Review: WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE IN THE THEATRE WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT IN THE 60'S I WAS 11 YEARS OL AND I THOUGHT IT EWAS GREAT THEN A ND STILL FEEL THE SAME WAY NOW. ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I'VE SEEN. THE SONGS ARE CATCHY, WITTY AND FINELY EXECUTED. LOVED IT THEN AND LOVE IT NOW.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Julie is the Star! here
Review: Star! is publicized as the flop that ended Julie Andrews' career. None of the blame should be laid at Julie's feet however. Her performance, especially in the musical numbers, is unparalleled. Julie WAS the greatest musical star of her day: if you don't believe me, imagine Barbra (whom I adore also) being tossed around by chorus boys in the "Jenny" finale. Also, kudos must go to Daniel Massey as Noel Coward: he could have really "camped" up the role but, thankfully, he played it with restraint. The problem with the movie is that it is constructed with the great musical numbers connected by a very flawed & minimal plot. Furthermore, the musical numbers don't advance the plot at all (only in a few spots do they even parallel Gertrude Lawrence's life-situations of the moment). So, what we're left with is a revue...a pastiche of musical numbers..a Ziegfield Follies of 1968!! So, the character of Gertrude Lawrence isn't fleshed out enough for audience sympathy to develop. Finally, the choice of imitating b&w newsreel footage just doesn't work and further distances the audience from the movie. I give it 4 stars because the musical numbers are SO spectacular. Check it out ...Julie's the real Star! of this movie!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Critically underrated, certainly Julie's tour-de-force
Review: Star! traces the meteoric rise of English star Gertrude Lawrence. While the script is often a bit lacklustre, the performances make up for it. Julie is a tremendous star - she has carefully built up a credible portrait of Miss Lawrence, and her early song-and-dance numbers are superb. Aided by a brilliant Daniel Massey, this film creates a superb picture of England from 1914 - 1940's. The song-and-dance routines are outstanding, and I think it's great that the movie's finally available on video. It's a great pity that there was an anti-Andrews vendetta from 69 onwards, as neither Star! nor Lili deserved the savaging they got from the critics. Man, can this lady act !!


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