Star Dust (1940)

72% of users liked it
(229 ratings)

Seventeen-year-old Linda Darnell received her first big break in the appropriately titled 20th Century Fox production Star Dust. Discovered by talent scout Thomas Brooke (Roland Young), teenager Carolyn Sayres (Darnell) is brought to Hollywood, where she is turned down for a contract because she is… More Seventeen-year-old Linda Darnell received her first big break in the appropriately titled 20th Century Fox production Star Dust. Discovered by talent scout Thomas Brooke (Roland Young), teenager Carolyn Sayres (Darnell) is brought to Hollywood, where she is turned down for a contract because she is considered too young. Down but not out, Carolyn falls in love with studio contractee Bud Borden (John Payne), who promises to help her achieve her career goals. Teaming up with Brooke, Borden succeeds in winning a screen test for Carolyn, and the rest is gravy. As can be seen, Star Dust draws most of its inspiration from Linda Darnell's real-life rise to fame, which gives the clichéd screenplay a bit of added depth and humanity. It's also amusing to watch William Gargan, cast as studio executive Dane Wharton, perform a devastating (albeit affectionate) take-off of 20th Century Fox head man Darryl F. Zanuck, right down to DFZ's habit of swinging a polo mallet during story conferences. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Walter Lang
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 6, 1940 Wide

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Starstruck girl makes her way to Hollywood, is discovered and becomes a star. Cliched and hackneyed it may be but this was actually a reworking of Linda Darnell's own story. Her's didn't end as happily as this, she actually watched this the night before she died in a… More
Starstruck girl makes her way to Hollywood, is discovered and becomes a star. Cliched and hackneyed it may be but this was actually a reworking of Linda Darnell's own story. Her's didn't end as happily as this, she actually watched this the night before she died in a fire.

Cast

            Linda Darnell as Carolyn Sayres

            John Payne as Bud Borden

            Roland Young as Thomas Brooke

            Charlotte Greenwood as Lola Langdon

            William Gargan as Dane Wharton

            Donald Meek as Sam Wellman

            Mary Beth Hughes as June Lawrence

            Mary Healy as Mary Andrews

            Harry Green as Bird Man

            Jessie Ralph as Miss Parker

            Walter Kingsford as Napoleon

            George Montgomery as Ronnie

            Robert Lowery as Bell Boy

            Hal K. Dawson as Wellman's Assistant

            Jo Gilbert as Swedish Maid

            Gary Breckner as Announcer

            Paul Hurst as Lab Man

            Irving Bacon as Clerk

            Billy Wayne as Cameraman

            Fern Emmett as Secretary

            Tom Dugan as Bus Driver

            Lynne Roberts as Girl

            Frank Coghlan Jr. as Telegraph Boy

            Sid Grauman as Himself

            Elyse Knox as Bit Girl

            Joan Leslie as College Girl

            Mantan Moreland as Waiter

            Philip Morris as Coach

            Kay Griffith as Stenographer
See full cast