As we experience this age of cinematic sequels, spinoffs, remakes, and reboots, author and historian Robert Hofler reminds us how a good story lends itself to being reimagined for different eras. He does this by taking us through the incredible history of the various film projects for A STAR IS BORN – on the 50th anniversary of the 1976 version. The book is subtitled: “The Most Filmed Hollywood Story of Love Found and Lost”.
Hofler does more than take us “behind the scenes” … he takes us deep inside Hollywood and reveals the inner workings, negotiations, and strategies involved with bringing the projects to the big screen. And what about those projects? Hofler researches the foundation, which takes us back to WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD? (1932) – based on the tumultuous marriage of silent movie star Colleen Moore and film producer John McCormick. This core story, with five credited and three uncredited writers, became the basis for four (so far) movies entitled, A STAR IS BORN. The years were 1937, 1954, 1976, and 2018. You likely think of them as Janet Gaynor/Frederic March (1937), Judy Garland/James Mason (1954), Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson (1976), and Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper (2018).
Even as an acknowledged cinephile, I was taken aback by the drama generated by each of these productions prior to them ever hitting the silver screen. Whether it’s the powerful David O Selznick controlling all aspects in 1937 (often to the frustration of William Wellman), or the challenges incurred by working with uber-talented and often-medicated Judy Garland (and how it relates to Cary Grant), or the truly absurd dynamics of Barbra Streisand and her ambitious boyfriend (and hair stylist to the stars) Jon Peters, or the (to me) shocking revelation of the original director and female lead for the 2018 version, every chapter delivers eye-opening, and often jaw-dropping revelations about the film productions. On a personal note, the 1976 version is easily my least favorite (although I believe Kristofferson deserves more credit than he receives), yet I was so immersed in the details of that section of the book that I read through without once coming up for air.
Hofler’s book is not written for the casual movie fan. It’s for those who thrive on pulling back the curtain on the hard work and personal and professional drama that goes into the magic we see on screen. The ideal reader will be exhilarated (as I was) at learning how the script and screenwriting faced so many obstacles over the past 90 years or so – each attempt to modernize taking the challenges head-on. Even the climactic turn of events and final scenes were built to speak to an audience of the times. The most striking example of this was Bradley Cooper using a specific tragic event in rock music to shift his own film. For those looking for backstage details and a few lessons in Hollywood history, Robert Hofler has written the book for you. It certainly won’t trash your life.
The book is available beginning January 27, 2026
Movie Reviews from the Dark 