A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away

by Lorna Luft, Jeffrey Vance, Turner Classic Movies

New York Times bestselling author and daughter of Judy Garland tells the story of A Star Is Born -- at once the crowning achievement and greatest disappointment in her mother's legendary career. This is a vivid account of a film classic's production, loss, and reclamation.
A Star Is Born -- the classic Hollywood tale about a young talent rising to superstardom, and the downfall of her mentor/lover along the way -- has never gone out of style. It has seen five film adaptations, but none compares to the 1954 version starring Judy Garland in her greatest role. But while it was the crowning performance of the legendary entertainer's career, the production turned into one of the most talked about in movie history.
The story, which depicts the dark side of fame, addiction, loss, and suicide, paralleled Garland's own tumultuous life in many ways. While hitting alarmingly close to home for the fragile star, it ultimately led to a superlative performance -- one that was nominated for an Academy Award, but lost in one of the biggest upsets in Oscar history. Running far too long for the studio's tastes, Warner Bros. notoriously slashed extensive amounts of footage from the finished print, leaving A Star is Born in tatters and breaking the heart of both the film's star and director George Cukor.
Today, with a director's cut reconstructed from previously lost scenes and audio, the 1954 A Star is Born has taken its deserved place among the most critically acclaimed movies of all time, and continues to inspire each new generation that discovers it. Now, Lorna Luft, daughter of Judy Garland and the film's producer, Sid Luft, tells the story of the production, and of her mother's fight to save her career, as only she could. Teaming with film historian Jeffrey Vance, A Star Is Born is a vivid and refreshingly candid account of the crafting, loss, and restoration of a movie classic, complemented by a trove of images from the family collection taken both on and off the set. The book also includes essays on the other screen adaptations of A Star Is Born, to round out a complete history of a story that has remained a Hollywood favorite for close to a century.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, History, Media Tie In, Biography, Research, Memoir

248 pages, Hardcover

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Lorna Luft is an American television, stage and film actress and singer. She is the daughter of the singer/actress Judy Garland and Sidney Luft who was Garland's third husband and manager. She is the half-sister of Liza Minnelli.

Lorna Luft lives in Beverly Hills with her husband, musician Colin R. Freeman, and her two children from her first marriage to musician and artist manager Jake Hooker. Her children, Vanessa and Jesse Richards, are the only grandchildren of Judy Garland.

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: Received as an ARC from Netgalley.

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making (and unmaking) of the film, how it affected Judy Garland’s career and life, and the restoration and rebirth of A Star is Born. If you haven’t already seen the restored version of this classic, you’ll definitely want to after reading this.

Lorna Luft writes about the great responsibility she feels toward her mother’s legacy, and with this book, I feel she has done that legacy justice.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a very nice book but I can't say there is much of any new information. Too much time is spent on the other versions of ‘A Star is Born’ as well as the movie ‘What Price Hollywood’. I bought this book expecting it to be specifically about the 1954 version of ‘A Star is Born’ starring Judy Garland but of course it was not. So, on that aspect I was disappointed. Otherwise, it’s a very insightful book with loads of great photographs.

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Star is Born, by Lorna Luft and Jeffrey Vance, analyzes all the movie versions of this story, but the book is primarily about the 1954 film directed by George Cukor, starring Judy Garland and James Mason and produced by Judy Garland's husband and Lorna Luft's father, Sid Luft.

This movie is called "the Film that Got Away" because, according to the authors of the book, that even though the film was a hit with audiences,it was cut to the point where it didn't make sense to squeeze in more showings per day. And Judy Garland got blamed for the fiasco.

There have always been fans and critics who preferred the version released in 1937, directed by William Wellman and starring Fredric March and Janet Gaynor. I always liked the way Wellman's film tied the settlement of the West into a movie about movie stars on the verge of the second world war.

The character of the movie star's grandmother, who tells her granddaughter what it was like to travel in a covered wagon, is by the end of the movie the most modern character in the story, addressing a radio audience in a mink at a movie premiere.

This book is also fun for those who like the seventies version starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Neil Diamond was considered for the role, but instead he did his own remake of The Jazz Singer in 1980.

(Thanks to Netgalley and Running Press for a digital review copy.)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The crowning achievement in the amazing Judy Garland's filmography gets a behind the scenes view written by her daughter Lorna Luft. "A Star is Born" is one of the greatest movies ever made but the road leading to, during and after the picture was fraught with tumultuous problems. At the center was Judy Garland, a legendary performer, whose life was a tale of loss, addiction and pain in many ways mirrored the characters in the film. The story of her mother's life is written with love, humor and honesty allowing those of us who knew Judy from her movies, TV shows and concerts to see behind the curtain. This book gave me a greater appreciation for an already much loved movie and the incredible Judy Garland and what she went through to bring the film to life. A must read for movie and Judy Garland fans alike!

[Yaritza · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in depth story of behind the scenes, of the making of A Star Is Born. We get to see the real life struggle Judy Garland went through. This movie reflected so much of what she lived with and struggled each day. Her acting is so vivid, strong and real that no one could have acted her part better than her. When you live through depression and addiction you feel like you can scream at the top of your lungs, while hiding away from it. The book was very well written and very detailed.

It spoke first of the 1937 A Star Is Born, then the behind the scenes of the making of the 1954 movie and the terrify cuts they made to such a perfect movie and ended with 1976 Barbara Streisand movie. I really enjoyed the images in this book. They truly captured special moments of the amazing Judy Garland. I wish her story was different and that this movie awarded her all the merits she deserved while she was still alive. The film is a classic now and was restored to almost the full length of the original movie before scenes were cut. This book unveiled behind the scenes of how Hollywood can make you or break you.

[Susie Dumond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an interesting and touching read for any fans of Judy Garland or old Hollywood, balanced between the personal perspective of Garland's daughter Lorna Luft and the analytical perspective of film historian Jeffrey Vance. It explores both Judy's life and legacy, particularly in her favorite film of her career, and the context of the various versions of A Star Is Born from 1937 through 2018. The narrative shifts between Luft and Vance could be a bit jarring, but I really enjoyed learning more about the history of this film and seeing all of the fantastic behind-the-scenes photos. I'll definitely be having an A Star Is Born movie marathon soon!

[Kimberly (kimmerthebooknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this free copy from netgalley.com for an honest review.
This was a quick read and I loved that! I love everything about Judy Garland and fell in love with Lorna when I first saw her in Grease 2. I was ecstatic to find this book.
I love the premise of following Judy through the process of A Star is Born. I loved the detail from Lorna on her memories of seeing this movie for the first time. I adored the photos that were included as well. The one section that threw me off was the chapter regarding Barbara Streisand and her remake of A Star is Born. For me, it felt rushed and it was just thrown in there for filler.
I give this book 4 Stars. Hoping to hear more from Lorna in book world.

[January Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Excellently written and very, very informative! I highly recommend this book for all of Judy Garland fans!

[Selina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have finished reading A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away. It is only four chapters, and it also has lots of film stills in it. But am firmly putting it in the memoir category, even though it could be cross-referenced under film, historical, because the film itself reveals so much about Judy Garland herself. And her husband Sid Luft produced it. Lorna Luft calls it a 'family home movie' and I totally get it. It's was like their own baby and her comeback film.

Lorna was actually under the care of nannies while her mother was filming for eight months or so, and by the time of the premiere, Judy was pregnant with her brother Joe. So the filming itself she has no recollection of. She first saw it on TV and then discovered that the studio had butchered Judy's creation by cutting it to make it shorter, leaving Lorna to wonder about all the holes in the plot. Judy was nominated for an academy award for this movie, but the Oscar did not go to her or any of the makers, and for this, Judy (and Sid) felt totally betrayed because they put EVERYTHING into it. The film itself is an extravaganza and totally eclipses all the musicals Judy had ever starred in before, mostly because it's about her becoming a star and deals with addiction and dreams, all the magic Hollywood is known for, and the awful price she pays.

Lorna writes with the help of film historian Jeremy Vance piecing the films genesis together, it's reception to a movie-going public and various incarnations, so Barbara Striesand's version also gets details. I would skip that chapter if you not interested. Then it's 1983 restoration and 2010 digital remastering. Husband Sid died in 2005, but not before being acrimonious with daughter Lorna for publishing her own book about her mother (he was jealous, cos he hadn't written it himself) . The part of the book I most got was closure, in 2017 Judy's remains, her body was reinterred from New York to a Hollywood cemetery with the consent of her family. She's finally at rest where she belongs, although what she gave, her talent and her voice, the legacy of her films, belong to everyone.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provided nice detail and photos of the production of A Star Is Born 1954, which starred Lorna's mother Judy Garland. Many of the photos have never been published before. Jeffrey Vance does a good job describing the history of the previous incarnations of this story and fortunately he was able to interview several people connected with the film in 2010, some of whom have subsequently died. Lorna Luft is brutally honest about both her parents while expressing her love for them and giving her viewpoint as a child and young adult. It's sad that even at the very end her father still had unresolved resentment about his career and standing in Hollywood.

Lorna describes her sense of disappointment upon seeing the film only as a young adult in its truncated form. This book suggests the film's success hinged critically on a pivot point when it appeared it would be a great success after some great previews, but when her parents went on vacation and the film was drastically cut by the Warner brothers things started to go terribly wrong.

It's at this point that Lorna describes her mother's slow long decline after the film's disappointing reception. Although Judy Garland had some great highs with terrific concerts and a television show, overall her career went into decline and her physical and mental health steadily declined with it. Lorna writes that her mother had obtained new prescriptions for stronger medications which made matters worse, especially when she always had a vodka flask handy.

This film is one of my all-time favorites, but it does seem to be cursed. In addition to Judy's career slide and early death, James Mason subsequently went through a costly divorce which forced him to accept roles in several inferior films. (I don't think he even supported the promotion of A Star Is Born.) He suffered a nearly fatal heart attack five years after the film's release. Jack Carson and Tom Noonan both died of cancer at age 52 and 46, respectively.

Fortunately, a film historian named Ronald Haver researched and found some lost footage and used a technique to bridge the remaining gaps with production stills to fill out the entire 181 minute running time with the complete audio track intact. James Mason lived long enough to see it (and promote it this time), but director George Cukor died only two days before he scheduled a viewing (Roger Ebert wrote that it was the day before).

A few months ago I saw Lost Horizon (1937) on TCM and the restoration of this great film followed the same process. Lost Horizon and A Star Is Born both also benefited from additional digital restoration; I'm not sure how the digitally enhanced A Star Is Born can be seen other than on TCM. Some people don't enjoy a film interrupted by still photos, but those who love classic films and film history understand why it's a useful device.

I would recommend this book for the background (text and photos) it provides on this film and the detail of the film's impact on the career and life of Judy Garland and her children. Lorna Luft writes as a reasonable observer on the ups and downs of her mother, her father, their relationship with each other and their children, and her feelings for both of them.

[Russell Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authorship of A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away is attributed to Lorna Luft and Jeffrey Vance. Often, a celebrity-penned book seems to have been crafted by the second author—the professional writer hired to “help” the celebrity/writer. In this book, however, it seems that Lorna Luft wrote her passages herself, for her voice is distinct. There are chapters devoted to film history, and those are likely the ones written by Vance. The book starts with a Vance-written chapter about the two versions of A Star Is Born that preceded Garland’s version. The earliest was entitled What Price Hollywood? and was made in 1932. Its basic plot found its way into the first A Star is Born film, made in 1937 and starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. That film is a classic in its own right. Her film career washed up at age 31, Garland and her then husband Sid Luft decided to remake A Star Is Born as a musical vehicle. About half of this book is taken up with Luft painstakingly explaining the differences between the Garland version versus the Gaynor version. That is mildly interesting, but it does seem to drag on. What make Luft’s description worth reading is her “asides” when she tells of her reaction to seeing her mother’s film for the first time when she, Luft, was a grown woman. For the most part, Luft doesn’t shy away from also telling us about her mother’s addictions and her father’s failures and shortcomings. She does soft-pedal a bit, but that’s to be expected from a devoted daughter. Vance takes over after this passage to tell us about the Streisand remake. This fairly short chapter is fascinating, showing how the director and Streisand clashed over Streisand’s vision for the film, and how ultimately Ms. Streisand exercised her contractual prerogative to cut the film herself. And finally, the best chapter comes again from Luft. She tells the engrossing tale of how Garland’s A Star Is Born was restored to the print that we now can see and enjoy. Much of the cut footage had been destroyed, but through the hard work of the person who took on the task of restoration and some lucky discoveries, the film was mostly restored to the original vision of Garland and her husband. Lorna Luft’s joy at this is very poignant. And to make the book even better—for Garland fans, especially—Lorna tells of the importance her mother has had to the world and how she feels her mother is always with her. She tells us proudly that if we want a sense of the real Judy Garland, we must see A Star Is Born. I’ve seen it several times, but after reading this book, I plan to look for its next showing on Turner Classic Movies.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is two books in one. The main focus, and the only reason you're likely to pick up this book, is the making of A Star is Born. The sections about the film's birth and re-birth appear to be written largely by Lorna Luft, one of the two co-authors. Though giving a history of the film, it largely filters it through the memories and experiences of her mother, Garland, and father, Sid Luft, who was also the producer of the film. It was their baby, and was conceived of as a vehicle to bring Garland back to stardom after having been dismissed several years earlier by MGM.

If you need to be told that Garland was dismissed from MGM, this is the wrong book for you. Everything about the movie, and the eventual re-construction of the movie is written from the perspective of an adoring, but still pretty honest daughter. Luft doesn't shy away from her mother's issues, both with men and with drugs. But it's clear that there's always love there.

If you're looking more for a book about the technical aspects of the making of the film, then you really want Ronald Haver's book, "A Star Is Born: The Making of the 1954 Movie and Its 1983 Restoration." (Which is credited in this volume -- in fact this book draws from lots of sources and is quite well-documented than a typical 'fan' type book.)

If you're a Garland fan, don't hesitate. There isn't necessarily much that you won't already know, but the presentation is excellent and this is filled with lots of stills and publicity photos from the making of the film.

The other chapters, presumably written largely by her co-author, film historian Jeffrey Vance, cover the earlier versions. This is interesting especially for covering 'What Price Hollywood?', the original version of this story, even though the later 1937 version is the first one to use the 'A Star is Born' title. It also gives a more even-handed coverage of the Streisand version than many fans might feel is deserved. (Though it mentions that the Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga version will be released soon, this book contains no other information about it.)

Recommended because it's so fun and for the wonderful presentation with tons of pictures and sources.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a great book on one of the greatest films of all time, "A Star Is Born" by Judy Garland's daughter Lorna Luft.

In almost any Warner Brothers film or television series, something from this film is usually played (recently I saw a clip played in the movie "Twister" with Helen Hunt and 'The Man Who Got Away' was used when Lorelai and Luke reunited on 'The Gilmore Girls') because I think the studio knows this is where the magic was made.

Who can explain the phenomenon better than Turner Classic Movies who published this book for those who are as infatuated with the movie as its fans and the movie has become a staple of the network.

This book is an insider's guide unlike many others because of the maternal relationship to its author and without just simple facts and figures, it relays the emotional toll it took on Garland and its crew to make this film.

When I first viewed the film on DVD, I was shocked by the sudden use of pictures and sound during the middle of the film, and the book covers the controversy of it well, and learned later that it was because a lot of the film was lost to archives and mishandling and that the film wasn't popular after the scenes were cut out and 'A Star Is Born' almost faded into history. So I was glad to get the insider's reasons as to why this was done and it helped me to appreciate the restored version even more.

Other film remakes are given a few pages of explanation, including the original version before Garland's, but the true gem of the book focuses on Garland's as it should. Other remakes may come and go but hers was more about the magic of Hollywood, the tragic story of Hollywood, the price of fame, the price of love.

And the photos are gorgeous and just make this book that much more of an item to savor and leave on a coffee table.

Thank you to TCM, Running Press, and NetGalley for early access to this title due September 18th.

[Robin Karnes Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a fan of A Star is Born, Judy, or Lorna, this is a great little memoir. The quality is impeccable - all pages are heavy, glossy paper, and most of them harbor gorgeous film stills or personal family photographs or posters. I said to several people that I wanted to purchase another copy just so I could cut the pictures out and have them separately, they're that great.

Beyond the beauty of the book, the written content is okay. If you've read Lorna's memoir Me and My Shadows, you've heard a lot of the stories before, but it's fun to revisit them. She focuses a lot on her dad, Sid Luft's, role as producer and Judy-wrangler in this book, which I really liked. Her commentary is supported by the co-author's more historical and methodical discussion of the film and the films that came before and after it. At first I was disappointed that this book had so much content about the three previous versions of A Star is Born/What Price Hollywood, but after reading through them I found it really enriched my experience and understanding of the film and its evolution. Each "other" version of the film has its own chapter, including the Barbra Streisand one. I think the most redeeming part of the text of this book is the way it explains the butchering of the 1954 film and the process it took to restore it to its (mostly) original glory. That in-depth information is fascinating and really highlights how much the studio system and film making had changed.

This is a charming, lovingly crafted book that any film buff should have in their collection. It made me wish there were more books like this.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would basically read anything that's written about Judy Garland - and this one is partly written by her daughter, Lorna Luft - so I was sold from the getgo! Garland's life is absolutely fascinating but it's even more heartwrenching and honest when told from her daughter's perspective. Her previous book, "Me and My Shadows," was released in the 1990s, so this was a great way for Garland's story to be updated and reflected upon by someone who knew her best (and with a current, more relevant lens). Luft describes the huge amount of work that went into making the remarkable 1954 film, "A Star is Born." There are lots of interesting tidbits about the filmmaking process and how Garland approached the material (which in retrospect would have been very relatable to her as an addict). I loved finding out more about Garland's efforts to make this film a comeback vehicle for herself (after having been branded difficult to work with) and the lengths she went to in order to produce a masterpiece that's still celebrated by film buffs today. My only qualm with the book was the inclusion of a lot of detail about the previous and future "Star is Born" films - I wasn't as interested in those passages as I was about the Garland ones. And the writing style by the co-author seemed way too different and jarring compared to Luft's. I'm so glad that Luft is keeping her mother's legendary status alive and is presenting her story with more compassion in light of what we know today about addiction and mental health. Now I'm off to watch "A Star is Born"!

*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Star Is Born is not just a film . It’s a vision of a whole world, an accurate depiction of how Hollywood as an institution functions."

This book, primarily written by Lorna Luft, Judy Garland's middle child, is a living tribute to both Garland and what is often seen as her denouement on screen in the movie "A Star is Born". Rather than go through the storyline of the movie, which will soon be released starting Lady GaGa and Bradley Cooper, this book is focused on the story behind the movie: the ride and fall of Garland by someone who witnessed it all.

Like a lot of American viewers, I celebrated TCM and their commitment to restoring the butchering job order by Warner all those years ago. I was enamored with the Streisand remake as a teen, although I felt the soundtrack was a little to much; and still feel that as an adult. I was a closet Garland fan and enjoyed learning about her whole catalogue from the late Robert Osbourne, Dean of TCM. I learned of the effects in The Harvey Girls and Meet Me in St.Louis, as well as other film trivia . His love of the genre is why TCM still enjoys its wide audience base, and why other restoration productions still happen.

It's the behind the scenes gossip that drives this book, helped with the private holdings of Luft herself and her "hello neighbor style" that keeps you reading. And for that, and the coda on Judy's final resting place, this is a book for the Garland fan, the movie buff,and the trivia master. Highly recommended 5/5

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became a Judy Garland fan in 1954 when this film came out and have probably seen the whole movie, or part of it, 100 times over the years, so I was happy to see this in-depth coverage by daughter Lorna and movie historian Vance. The entire history of the story is told from the first, "What Price Hollywood," in 1932 to the first of the name "A Star Is Born," a 1937 drama, starring Janet Gaynor, to the 1954 musical Garland version, to the 1976 travesty by Barbra Streisand and even touching on the about-to-be released version with Lady Gaga in the female role.

Lorna was a child when her mother died in 1969 and never saw this movie until she was 13 years old--and didn't like it much, but has come to appreciate it as the pinnacle of her mother's career and how it was sabotaged by Warner Bros, robbing Garland of her deserved Oscar. She tells stories not only of the filming, but also of the later re-release, with footage cut from the film before it was released (I was at that release screening and sat behind James Mason!) This is a lavishly illustrated book with lots of photos, many of which are private photos fro Lorna's collection.

It is easy to tell who wrote which parts of the book, from Lorna's homespun memories of Mama to Vance' more scholarly information on the history of this story, but between the two they tell a compelling story.

[Sarah Dunmire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Flows well and kept me engaged the whole way. It was primarily about the whole process of the film, A Star is Born, but it also provided history on the two previous versions as well as the Streisand Version. It also ended up being a biography of Judy Garland and recollections from her daughter, Lorna, the author with Vance. I’ve always loved the film and Judy Garland’s voice, so it was a great book for me to read. Appreciate that it was written!

Some things I learned:
Judy’s special academy award for the Wizard of Oz was a miniature version of the statuette! Always disappointed she never got a full-sized one, especially for A Star is Born.
She did get some voice lessons from Roger Edens while she was at MGM. She claimed she never had any lessons in her interviews…
Suicide attempts were never serious attempts, but ones to get attention and help.
Judy’s father was bisexual
Dependence on prescription drugs from MGM days. Benzedrine in the day, Seconal in the evening, vodka. Also Nembutal, Tuinal, and Ritalin later. With dangerous doses.
Liver cirrhosis covered up as hepatitis
Woah, Stonewall Uprising happened shortly after Judy Garland’s death. Possibly gathered to mourn her.
Friends of Dorothy was a designation for gay men and a rainbow flag is their symbol partly because of Over the Rainbow.

[Lissa00 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested a digital ARC of this book and I don't even remember why but I am glad that I did. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. It details all of the adaptations of A Star is Born but focuses on the Judy Garland version that was tragically altered after the successful premier. Judy Garland's daughter, Lorna Luft who writes this book, always wanted to see the original and finally got the chance after a restoration in the 1980's. This is a moving tribute to a movie many see as Judy Garland's best. I enjoyed all of the photographs but highly recommend the physical copy as the digital copy was a little scattered. Overall, I was delightfully surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at a Hollywood classic.

I’m a bit familiar with the making of Judy Garland’s ‘A Star is Born,’ but I’m no expert, so this was a pretty neat read. It was really interesting getting to know some of the details that went into making the film, the studio butchering it, and the fallout of that decision. It felt a little more personal with Judy Garland’s daughter Lorna Luft telling the story. Also really appreciated the inside looks to the films that came before it, ‘What Price Hollywood’ (1932), and the 1937 and 1976 versions of ‘A Star is Born.’ If you like reading about classic Hollywood and making movies then this would be a good read. While not super in-depth it gives enough information to satisfy the reader. At least it did for me.

[James Siejak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not groundbreaking or earth shattering. An extremely pleasant read. A great love letter from daughter to mother. The true story of a film which went from a three hour triumph to a two and a half hour confusing film that eventually flopped. The story is heartbreaking. The great light at the end of the tunnel is that this film was lovingly and painfully restored (as perfect a version as we will see) and finally turned a profit. The one terrible thing being is Ms. Garland was not alive to see her favorite of all of her films a great success!

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. As someone who is fully invested in the A Star is Born legacy, I appreciated that although the focus is on the 1954 version, there is plenty of information about the 1937 and 1976 versions, What Price Hollywood? as well as a bit about the upcoming film. There was one factual error in the introduction but otherwise it was a stand up book. Full review is available on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/gPGwVxL7GoY

[Bonnie Kernene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of A Star Is Born, with stills from the production of the film and stories from the producer, Sid Luft, who was also married to the star of the movie, the one and only Judy Garland (and my all time favorite actress) and also from Lorna Luft, Judy's daughter. The book is rather short, but it goes into great detail into the movie and makes you feel like you were right there. I found the book to be a great companion to the movie.

[Patricia Gmitrovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone knows Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz, this story goes far beyond the yellow brick road.
Her daughter Lorna Luft let's us in on what it was like to live with her Mama's highs and lows. Not only do I want to see the new A Star Is Born with Gaga, I now want to see Judy Garland 1954 version.

[Daniel Krolik · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely thorough tribute to Judy's greatest role and most fraught film. It's smartly put into context against Judy's career as a whole and her role as a gay icon, with a very interesting chapter devoted to the Streisand version as well. Gorgeous pictures to boot. I saw the restored film years ago, but this made me want to immediately watch the more recent restoration.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

A Star is Born is one of my favorite movies and though I know the basic story behind the production, I think this book is terrific. Lorna is very clear-eyed in her acknowledgment of her parents’ shortcomings, and she writes with such honesty and heart. I really enjoyed every page!

[Judge Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book about one of my favorites ever written honestly and lovingly by her daughter Lorna. I learned so much about what went into the film and the unfortunate decision to cut its length and the far reaching consequences of that decision. Who knows, uncut might have been an Oscar for Judy and a rejuvenation of both her career and private life. She was a true Star!

[Lisa Mcbroom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorna Luft's book is also a loving memoir to her mother the great Judy Garland. Recently I viewed this movie on TCM and in my opinion it's the best remake. Also Luft delves into the pop culture and the social aspects of the eras the remakes were made.

[Offbalance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have made a great magazine article, if it stayed focused on the 1954 film. Instead it's some odd reports on the 1937 and 1976 films, and a lot of ramblings on Lorna Luft's relationships with her mother and father. What she does discuss about the book is fairly interesting.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of A Star is Born in general - I loved the Garland, Streisand and Gaga versions (still need to see the Gaynor one). This is a lovely companion book with lots of pictures - a nice tribute from Luft to her mother.