Star!

Two classic movie musicals were released in 1968, Oliver! and Funny Girl, but the times they were a changin' as the so-called “New Hollywood” generation of directors were waiting in the wings to upend the old studio guard. So it was probably not the opportune time to release a near three-hour musical about legendary British entertainer Gertrude Lawrence. Still, seen today, Star! is a grand showcase for the magnificent Julie Andrews, who rises above bio-pic conventions while performing timeless tunes by Noel Coward, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin (including a lovely “Someone to Watch Over Me”). Andrews gets tart support from Oscar nominee Daniel Massey as the elegantly witty Noel Coward, and is reunited with her The Sound of Music director Robert Wise, who took a page out of Citizen Kane (which he edited) by framing the proceedings around a faux newsreel of Lawrence's wild life (unlike the deceased Kane, Andrews' very much alive Lawrence comments on the newsreel's inaccuracies). Although only Wise is credited on the DVD jacket, his is just one of the voices on the crowded and often lively commentary track, apparently culled from a previously released laserdisc version (Massey and costar Richard Crenna have since passed away). Though Star! may be, in the words of one character, “out of date,” Andrews' fans won't mind at all. A strong optional purchase. (D. Liebenson)