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Synopsis
Esther leaves her rural home for Hollywood, where determination alone cannot secure even a small part. A well-known actor notices her and helps open the doors of the industry. As her career accelerates and his declines, their relationship must survive a profession that makes private disappointment into public entertainment.
Cast
DirectorsWilliam A. Wellman
Historical context
The film turns Hollywood's star-making machinery into the setting for an intimate tragedy. It was the first colour film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, linking a story about screen fame to a significant moment in colour cinema.
Behind the scenes
For the awards ceremony within the film, Janet Gaynor held her own Academy Award. The detail gives a fictional star's triumph a tangible connection to the leading actress's earlier success.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Janet Gaynor — Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences · Public domain
- Fredric March — Unknown photographer · Public domain
- Adolphe Menjou — CBS Radio · Public domain
- May Robson — Trailer screenshot of Broadway to Hollywood Licencing information : https://web.archive.org/web/20080321033709/http://www.sabucat.com/?pg=copyright and http://www.creativeclearance.com/guidelines.html#D2 · Public domain
