MovieChat Forums > A Star Is Born (1954) Discussion > A Note of Appreciation for Mason

A Note of Appreciation for Mason

posted 16 years ago by IrishHeart45
22 replies | jump to latest

Everybody who watches this knows it's a Judy Garland movie. She's amazing, and has a voice like I've never heard. I'm sorry she never got a competitive Oscar, and think this was her true shining moment.

I desperately wanted to see this movie, and was thrilled when it was finally showed (in its entirety) on TCM. Judy was as wonderful as I thought she'd be, and 'Melancholy Baby' may be one of the most beautiful songs I've heard her do.

However, I wanted to write a note and say how impressed I was by James Mason's performance. I've seen him in his classics, films like 'Lolita' and 'North by Northwest,' but this is the finest performance I've ever seen by him. He's everything the character needs to be in order for the story to work. In the beginning, he's absolutely charming, and at the end he's devastating. My mother watched it with me and we were both stunned. I never expected to feel so deeply about his character, and that is a complete tribute to Mr. Mason.

I am by no means trying to deny anything to Judy Garland. She was wonderful, and just as responsible for the wonderful chemistry they had. But I wanted to write a note and say how amazing I thought he was, and how much I loved that performance. I think that if it had been another year, he definitely should have won Best Actor. He remains one of my favorites, and I think this was truly his finest hour

[–] sc_taylor 9 years ago

There is no question, the movie would not have worked without him. He gives a beautifully subtle and sympathetic performance of a self-destructive character. That final scene really cut me up inside. So so sad.

This movie is truly one of Hollywood's very finest achievements. A masterpiece.

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My God, it's full of stars!

[–] nicoledesapio 8 years ago

Mason's final scene and the scene in which he's mocked by Jack Carson's character both destroy me. I remember the first time I saw the movie, I was sobbing during Mason's scene with Carson because I could "feel" the poor man's humiliation.

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 3 years ago

Honestly, I thought Mason was the best part of this film.

[–] Gubbio (3893) 3 years ago

I watched this movie again last night. I've always liked Mason's performance; I think he was perfect.

But, it hit me last night, in the scene where Norman overhears Vicki tell Niles that she's giving up her career to help Norman, Mason's pain is almost palpable. He's lying in bed, almost sobbing, and seems crushed, as if all life is drained out of him.

Very moving scene. Great acting.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

He did a great job, when it would have been as easy as hell to *not* do a great job. Most actors would have given up and let Garland take over the film with her star power and musical talent, and figured that nobody was paying much attention to them, considering. But even though Mason had to spend half the film sitting back and listening to Garland sing, he didn't let him stop that from doing an excellent job, and grounding the film with his charming, tragic, sensitive, flawed, loveable Norman Maine. And because he kept his head and did a superb job while Garland was singing or having tantrums, the film is still totally watchable today, and it works because Garland's star power is matched by Mason's emotional depth.

In contrast, when the movie was remade in 1976 and Kris Kristopherson was faced with the task of listening to Barbra Streisand constantly sing onscreen and throw fits offscreen... he gave up and spent all day getting hammered.

[–] unluckymagpie (9) 3 years ago

That scene was amazing. His quiet sobbing is just so tragic, you feel exactly what the character is going through. I know Judy is what people first think of with this film, and she was wonderful in this, but it wouldn't have meant as much without Mason's performance.

[–] Foster (878) a year ago

James Mason is/was one of those actors that---- No matter how badly the movie stunk HIS performance was better than the rest of the movie --- Michael Caine is another one