How accurate is the movie "Star!"?

[broadwaybaby692]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:49pm

One of my favorites, caught it on TV this weekend and Tivo-ed it. But I am curious as to how accurate the movie is, specifically in the depiction of the musical numbers from shows.

I love Julie Andrews sing "The Physician" and "Saga of Jenny" - but is that how those numbers really appeared, were staged originally or was it just for the film? (I LOVE "LADY IN THE DARK" ALTHOUGH I'VE NEVER SEEN IT)

And why is there no mention of "King and I" or "Pygmallion"? Wouldnt it be fun to have Julie Andrews sing "Getting to Know You" as Gertrude as Anna, or even to have Julie Andrews doing a non-musical Eliza?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:48pm

In broad strokes as biography Star is correct. The musical numbers were staged for the film by Michael Kidd although for instance The Saga of Jenny was originally set in a circus, but not the one onscreen which wouldn't fit into Madison Square Garden. However the bumps that Julie/Gert does are based on the original moves that threw the audience into a frenzy because nice women didn't do bumps.

The film ends about 1942-44 and The King and I didn't open until 1951. Scenes from King & I would have been fun, but I wonder if there was an issue of rights as Richard Rodgers was still alive then. Also if you cover The King and I then you really have to cover her death from liver cancer 18 months after the show opened. Who wants that in a musical?

Did you know Gertrude Lawrence was buried in the Shall We Dance? dress? Presumably the hoops were removed prior.

As for scenes from plays, you don't hire Julie Andrews, the biggest thing in film musicals since Judy Garland, to play scenes without singing.

The movie is kind of a sprawling mess with some great musical numbers, a superb Daniel Massey and incomparable Julie Andrews.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:52pm

Wow, I didn't know Gertie was buried in that (big) dress!

I did know Lugosi was buried in his Dracula cape though.

I wonder how often this happens??? Having actors buried in their costumes.

[broadwaybaby692]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:56pm

I dont think of "Star" as a musical - it's a movie about a performer - and Julie Andrews besides being a great singer is an EXCELLENT actress with or without music.

And I forgot that she has already sung Anna in "King and I" - Hollywood Bowl with Ben Kingsley, it's on CD (not as good as Donna Murphy but better than Gertrude).

Oh so it was the "bumps" that were the thing that Richard Crenna brought her to see at the Cotton Club when she got blocked during "Jenny" rehearsals - I wish they had shown the Cotton Club stage during the movie, but alas.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 2:33pm

Nothing about STAR is terribly accurate--it's a wonderful mess.

Watch it for the fun musical numbers, but listen to the original Gertrude Lawrence recordings and you'll see that Gertie was a comedienne with a delicate little voice, not an octave-spanning musical genius like Julie Andrews.
The Real Gertrude Lawrence

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 2:40pm

I love this movie and am peeved that I missed it over the weekend....I only wish it wasnt 2 days long.

Julie's "My Physician" is one of the greatest vocals ever on screen, imo.

[broadwaybaby692]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 4:24pm

I know Gert wasn't the same caliber as Julie Andrews, but still...suspension of disbelief.

Is there really a musical version of "Private Lives"? Wasn't that what she and the Coward character were doing on the adjoining balconies. She sang a song, didnt she? Either "Dear Little Boy" or "Someday I'll Find YOu" - or am I just crazy?

By the way, I LOVE this CD, I got it back in high school at 1/2 Price Books before I even knew who Gertrude Lawrence was or what this movie was. IT IS FANTASTIC, but limited...give us a complete CD with instrumental pieces and full vocals.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 5:00pm

That wasn't a musical version of Private Lives. That WAS Private Lives that they were doing.

Coward wrote incidental music and had an orchestra accompany his play.

It wasn't all that uncommon for "straight" plays (particularly comedies but even some dramas) to have pit orchestras, and even a song or two... they still didn't qualify as musicals though. They were "plays with music."

EDIT: doodlenyc---LOL! It IS 2 days long, isn't it? I swear I feel like I'm going through her life in "real time" when I watch it. But Julie is a delight, and so is Daniel Massey, who received an Oscar nom for his performance as Noel Coward... and is Raymond Massey's real-life son, and the godson of Noel Coward.

Updated On: 5/11/06 at 05:00 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:27pm

AND Anna Massey's Bro!

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:29pm

Anna Massey = Mrs. Danvers!!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 10:12pm

Dunno.