MovieChat Forums > A Star Is Born (1954) Discussion > Jack Carson

Jack Carson

posted 19 years ago by BigIdeasMolitz
16 replies | jump to latest

I have to say that Jack Carson, song and dance, funny man from Warners who did terrific comedies and screwball characters really is terrific in this picture.

Matt Libby as played in the original by Lionel Stander is just mean. Carson gives it many more dimensions. He has the real swagger of a press agent and his delivery is right on the money scene after scene.

He's also great in The Tarnished Angels with Robert Stack and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof with Liz Taylor and Paul Neuman.

He'll always be branded as Dennis Morgan's partner in the "Two Guys" pictures at Warners and for Doris Day pictures, but they picked the right guy for Matt Libby in the Garland version of ASIB.

And one more thing...Ray Heindorf's orchestrations and music direction, as Matt Libby says after the premier...sensational. Just listen to the soundtrack album and hear that big Warner's orchestra in 1953 stereo...man that's something, especially the very first sound in the picture...the pedal tone note that's the key note of the man that got away for the overture over credits...really powerful. A lot of Garland's singing is sensational, but a lot is kind of wobbly in spots...portends of things to come in her voice and stage mannerisms.

[–] robertinlosangeles 19 years ago

Carson's great in Mildred Pierce as well. I agree 100% with your comments about the orchestration and as for the singing, may I add that Judy's singing of The Man That Got Away is over the top, and not in a good way, just like her performance. Sometimes less is more, as they say in acting class.

[–] dth1212 18 years ago

>> Sometimes less is more, as they say in acting class.

Is that the "Less-is-more kind of acting" that Catherine O'Hara talks about in WAITING FOR GUFFMAN? ;) Funny movie, if you haven't seen it yet.

As for Garland and "The Man That Got Away", her brassy performance works for me everytime I watch it. I find it both chilling and heartbreaking.

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[–] RandiForde 18 years ago

I just rented this movie from Netflix, SPECIFICALLY to hear Garland sing "The Man That Got Away." I think it's one of the best performances of her musical career, or of anyone's singing career, and extremely well done. I can't imagine how anyone would expect a huge torch song like this to be sung low-key or with any restraint whatsoever; that would ruin it. It's supposed to have IMPACT, and it sure does. Bowls me over every time I hear it. I plan to do an A-B repeat on the song segment, and listen to it a bunch of times before I send back the film.

[–] Tashtago 16 years ago

Sorry but I agree with the poster who said Garland's singing on The Man That Got Away was over the top. She belts it right to the rafters from the first note on. I think it would have been better to build slowly /softly to a big climax. Check out Sinatra's version, which I think is better. Apparently I'm not alone Garland's own voice coach on the film didn't like her interpretation either. (see A Star is Born by Harmer) . As to Jack Carson, when I first saw the film and his name in the credits I groaned, but I was wrong he is great and should have got a best supporting actor oscar if it hadn't been the year of On the Waterfront. James Mason is also excellent as is Judy despite my critique here.

[–] Doghouse-6 15 years ago

Old post, but I'll respond anyway. I take your - and the other poster's - point about Garland's "The Man That Got Away" performance, although I respectfully disagree. It's all a matter of taste, after all. But I'll just point out the context of the performance: a jam session, after-hours at a closed club, no audience, singing for herself and the boys in the band, as Norman says. In other words, strictly for fun.

Notice how, through much of the song, her expression is in such strong counterpoint to the lyrics, such as how she begins its final bars - "Ever since this world began, there is nothing sadder than..." - with a broad smile on her face. She and the band are having a great time "blowing their heads off for themselves," as Bruno at the Coconut Grove had said, and her demeanor and balls-out belting reflect this.

If you haven't seen it, try to get a hold of a copy of the 1962 CBS special she did with Sinatra and Dean Martin. She does a somewhat more restrained performance of the song, and I know people who think this is her best recorded performance of it.

Poe! You are...avenged!

[–] sappleseed 16 years ago

In one of the scenes in Matt Libby's office there are three HUGE glam portraits of star(lets) who are under contract to the Oliver NIles Studio...one looks like Anna Lee, one looks like Ruth Roman and the third looks like Alexis Smith's sexy younger sister...I imagine they couldnt use real stars pix or anyone recognizable but does anyone know who these actresses are?

Also, am I the only one who thinks that Judy should have sang after announcing, "Hello everybody, this is Mrs. Norman Maine"?

[–] Gubbio 16 years ago

Also, am I the only one who thinks that Judy should have sang after announcing, "Hello everybody, this is Mrs. Norman Maine"?

I used to think that, and the movie left me wanting more.

However, I think a song at this point would have been anticlimactic. By understanding and accepting all that Norman did for her, and that there would have been no "Vicki Lester" without him, Vicki has reached a bit of closure on Norman's death. This was what she needed to learn from his death.

A song at this point would have ruined that mood, because our focus would have been back on Vicki/Judy the singer, not on Norman Maine who gave his life so that Vicki would not throw away her career to care for him.

Just my opinion.....

[–] hisatom-1 15 years ago

Actually, you were right about some of the stars' photo in the background-- two of them were Jane Powell, right out of her contract (or a swap-loan out) from MGM, making the picture THREE SAILORS AND A GIRL. (Jack Carson went to MGM to make DANGEROUS WHEN WET.) The other was Kathryn Grayson, post-MGM contract, was supposed to make 4, but made only 2 films, SO THIS IS LOVE and THE DESERT SONG, both of them luke warm reception. (So the other 2 was cancelled). So the photos up there were WB stars of 1953 season.

[–] Isaac5855 15 years ago

I think this film contains the best performance of Jack Carson's career.

[–] hka-3 10 years ago

That's what I keep hearing . I can't wait to see this. It will be on TCM Feb. 3, 2014 in the evening.

[–] vinidici 9 years ago



I think this film contains the best performance of Jack Carson's career.

Carson wasn't exactly chooped liver in MILDRED PIERCE, either.

Secret Message, HERE!--->CONGRATULATIONS!!! You've discovered the Secret Message!

[–] MJC4861 8 years ago

Boy, could this man act. Just truly amazing that he wasn't nominated for any of these films. One of the finest character actors ever, as Alec Baldwin said on The Essentials with TCM's Robert Osborne. His three greatest roles were in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, A Star Is Born, and Mildred Pierce. He steals every scene he's in during Cat On A Hot Tin Roof even from such heavyweights as Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Burl Ives, and Judith Anderson. Carson's scenes with Madeleine Sherwood (as the definitive Sister-woman) are priceless.

His portrayal of Matt Libby is much better than the over-the-top Oscar-winning performance of Edmond O'Brien as an equally hard-bitten movie agent in The Barefoot Contessa (also 1954), although I admit that O'Brien's performances in D.O.A. and Seven Days In May, among others, were nothing short of superb and that he had a great career and deserved Oscars for those when he wasn't nominated either.

Today on TCM they are showcasing films about alcoholics, three of the best being A Star Is Born (1954), Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and The Days of Wine and Roses (1962). Ironically Charles Bickford is also in two of these films in smaller parts. He plays Lee Remick's dad in the 1962 film and does a fine job as the studio boss in A Star Is Born.

[–] marktayloruk (2378) 2 years ago

Carson deserved an Oscar. Libby deserved - about this time Frank.Sinatra punched a publicist. If he was anything like Libby, it's a pity Rocky Marciano didn't throw the punch!