Janet Gaynor was at the top of her game with the almost Dickens' inspired name "Esther Blodgett" - an aspiring actress who moves to Hollywood and happens upon a drunken, self-destructive "Norman Maine" (Fredric March) as she waitresses at a party. His star is definitely on the wain, but he sees something in her and before long she is topping the bill. No singing in this version, which I think makes it a grittier adaptation of the story. Oddly enough, I find that the colour is quite distracting - it would have looked much better in black and white. That said, the dialogue is sharp and the pace likewise and it's an enjoyable watch.
