Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Abegail Noëlle While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

classicsoncall Ironic isn't it, that Bette Davis would get a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a role in which she portrays a washed up actress? There's a great 'Sunset Boulevard' moment in the story when she affirms to her daughter Gretchen (Natalie Wood) , "...if you're a star, you don't stop being a star". One has to wonder how many past and present movie celebrities go through the same run of emotions once their individual star has burned out.More than anything, the story line deals with someone lying to everyone including themselves about hanging on to past glory. I thought the picture hit the proverbial wall when Margaret Elliot (Davis) really believed she could land a role calling for an eighteen year old. That takes some kind of chutzpa when you're in your mid-Forties and haven't aged particularly well. She finally figured it out when she saw the screen test, at least her eyesight wasn't affected along with her poor judgment.I don't know if there's a quintessential Bette Davis role; Margo Channing in "All About Eve" might come the closest, but of her lesser known films this one comes close to capturing her essence as an actress. It's a good film with a good story that the tabloids of today would eat up in a heartbeat.

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . that Barbara Lawrence, one of its top-billed players, doesn't make her brief cameo appearance until there's less than five minutes left in the story. THE STAR is so oddly prophetic that it has Natalie Wood down as a nimble sailor, in no danger of drowning at sea, no matter how many love triangles are weighing her down. In the same vein, THE STAR convinces Bette Davis that she's only fit to play WHATEVER HAPPENED TO-- roles in her future, with an occasional break to dismember Bruce Dern for what he did to MARNIE. THE STAR answers the burning question of who would win the Wooden Acting Showdown between Robert Mitchum and Ms. Davis' co-star here, Sterling Hayden: Sterling gets the gold medal by a landslide. Gloria Swanson may have landed on SUNSET BOULEVARD, but Ms. Davis' "You don't seem to know WHO I AM!!" rant to the police in THE STAR clearly is still enticing for those of today's Reese Witherspoon ilk slumming on Skid Row.

vincentlynch-moonoi I love Bette Davis, but by 1952, just as with her character in this movie, her best days were behind her. But, that didn't mean one couldn't enjoy a good Bette Davis performance.The main problem I have with this film is not Miss Davis (my all-time favorite female actress), but with her co-star -- Sterling Hayden. If ever there was a limited actor, he was it. The desk I'm sitting at is less wooden than he was.The second problem I have with this film, and only slightly less significant is the script. At first it seems plausible. An older Academy Award winning actress is suddenly on the skids, and she is reaching her breaking point (which might have been a good title for the film). But why drop into the depths when television was alive and well, and yes, although "Playhouse 90" was not around yet, there were dramatic television series on the air already, and quite a few actors and actresses (including people like Ronald Colman) were beginning to do work in television. But, that logical storyline wouldn't have made a dramatic film, even if it had been based on reality. And then there's the ending of the film. She basically kidnaps her own daughter (gee, no problem there) because she has suddenly realized that true love conquers all, and heads off to a relationship which is outside of show biz. Really, that's sort of pathetic.But back to Bette Davis. Her performance here is, in my view, flawed. There are scenes with brilliance. And there are scenes where I really felt she was "overacting".Natalie Wood is here as the daughter, but isn't given much of do of significance, but wow -- this was his 17th film! It was good to see an older Minor Watson here...always a welcome character actor.I see this film as abounding in transition. Bette Davis transitioning into films where she played older character. But even the film industry transitioning (coarsely at times) into what it saw as more realistic and gritty film-making. But is this a top-notch film? No. Good, but not great.

DKosty123 Compared to other films, this film is not really demanding of Davis talent. The base story has to do with an aging actress having trouble getting roles. She is broke due to a combination of bad investments and sponge relatives & is even tossed out of her apartment.She has an wonderful daughter (played by 14 year old Natalie Wood) who is living with her ex husband due to her difficult circumstances. When she takes her Oscar statue out & does some drunk driving, she winds up in jail. She is bailed out by a man (Sterling Hayden) who loves her & stops her descent into hitting bottom.This is actually a thinly veiled story making fun of one of Davis' foes , IE. Joan Crawford. What it lacks is balance in the casting & script which is why it is not a Sunset Boulevard. The male characters have no teeth, unlike the Holden role in that movie. At least the story is told pretty much straight forwards.While this is not a movie to go out of the way for, if you like Davis it is a pleasant diversion for those times where there is nothing else to watch.