"Let’s you and me, Oscar, get drunk."
Bette Davis sneers this line at her golden statuette while driving around Beverly Hills, the trophy perched on her dashboard like a plastic dashboard confession. It’s one of the most painfully honest moments in 1950s cinema. Most people haven't even heard of the 1952 film The Star, yet it’s the skeleton key to understanding the brutal transition from Hollywood’s Golden Age to its "has-been" era.
The Movie That Was a Secret Weapon
You’ve heard about the feud. The legendary, decade-spanning, "I wouldn't sit on her lap even if she was a chair" hatred between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Most fans point to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as the peak of their war. But The Star was the first major strike, and it was personal.
Honestly, the backstory is kinda wilder than the movie. The script was written by Katherine Albert and Dale Eunson. They were once Crawford’s closest friends—she was even the godmother to their daughter. But after a nasty falling out involving a runaway marriage, they decided to write a movie about a washed-up, delusional, aging actress named Margaret Elliot.
They didn't just base it on Crawford. They weaponized her traits.
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Davis knew exactly what she was doing when she took the part. She didn’t just play the role; she inhabited the "Crawford" brand of desperation—the obsession with glamour, the frantic need for the spotlight, the sheer terror of a sagging neckline. Davis later admitted she "adored" the script because it was about Joan. It was a 90-minute burn.
Why The Star Still Hits Hard
In the film, Margaret Elliot is an Oscar winner who is totally broke. She’s selling her furs at auction while pretending she’s just "clearing out some old things." She gets arrested for a DUI. She tries to work a retail job at a department store and ends up screaming at the customers because they recognize her but don't respect her.
It's uncomfortable.
Sterling Hayden plays the guy who tries to save her—a former co-star who realized early on that Hollywood is a soul-sucking void and left to fix boats. He wants her to be a "real woman." This is where the movie gets complicated for modern viewers. The film’s tagline was literally, "When the star fades... the woman is born!"
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Basically, the 1950s message was: Give up your career, go to the boatyard, and be a wife. ### A Young Natalie Wood
A tiny, 14-year-old Natalie Wood plays Davis's daughter, Gretchen. Their chemistry is actually the heart of the film. During production, Wood was terrified of a scene where she had to jump into the ocean because she couldn't swim. Davis, known for being "difficult," was actually incredibly protective of the kid. They stayed friends for life. It’s a rare glimpse of the warmth Davis usually hid behind her fierce professional mask.
The Oscar Irony
Here is the kicker: the industry loved the performance. Even though the movie didn't make much money, Davis snagged an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Think about that. She got a nomination for playing a "washed-up" actress during a time when her own career was actually sliding. After the massive success of All About Eve in 1950, Davis hit a wall. The Star was meant to be a comeback, but instead, it became a sort of prophecy. She wouldn't get another Oscar nomination for an entire decade until she teamed up with her "muse" Joan Crawford for Baby Jane.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Era
People think these actresses just "aged out." It wasn't that simple. The studio system they grew up in—where they were protected, lit, and marketed like gods—was collapsing.
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Davis was 44 when she filmed The Star. By today's standards, that’s the prime of a career (think Jessica Chastain or Charlize Theron). But in 1952, Hollywood treated 44 like 104. The film captures that specific panic of being "too old" for the ingenue roles but "too young" for the grandma parts.
Why You Should Actually Watch It
- The "Drunken" Screen Test: There is a scene where Margaret tries to sabotage a supporting role screen test by playing it "sexy" and young. It is cringeworthy and brilliant.
- The Wardrobe: Davis refused to be "glamorous." She wanted to look exhausted.
- The Sterling Hayden Factor: He’s surprisingly grounded here, providing a stoic contrast to Davis’s high-wire act.
Real Insights for Classic Film Fans
If you’re looking to dive into the Davis filmography, don't just stick to the "Big Three" (All About Eve, Jezebel, Now, Voyager). The Star is the raw, unpolished version of those films. It lacks the witty dialogue of Margo Channing, replacing it with the jagged edges of a woman who knows the party is over but refuses to leave the room.
To really appreciate the nuance, watch it back-to-back with Joan Crawford’s Sudden Fear, which came out the same year. Crawford was nominated for an Oscar for that one, too. The two "rivals" were neck-and-neck in 1952, both fighting the same battle against a town that wanted to trade them in for a newer model.
How to Find The Star Today
The film is often overshadowed by Sunset Boulevard, which covers similar "faded star" territory. However, while Sunset Boulevard is a Gothic noir, The Star is a gritty character study. It’s currently available on various streaming platforms like Amazon Video or through classic film TCM rotations.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the Screen Test Scene: Notice how Davis uses her eyes to convey the moment she realizes she’s failed. It’s a masterclass in "acting within acting."
- Compare the Ending: Look at how Margaret’s "happy ending" (giving up her career) contrasts with the ending of All About Eve. It tells you everything you need to know about the shift in 1950s gender politics.
- Read "Bette and Joan": If you want the full tea on the Katherine Albert/Joan Crawford falling out that inspired this script, Shaun Considine’s book is the definitive source.