Esther Blodgett is a farm girl who leaves her small-town life with dreams of becoming a successful Hollywood movie star. She soon discovers that achieving stardom is more difficult than she had ever dreamed. Unable to find work as an actress, Esther takes a waitress job at a Hollywood party. While there, she is discovered by boozy leading man Norman Maine, who promises to make her a star. He convinces the head of a major movie studio to give Esther a chance to prove herself on screen, and the film is a smashing success. Esther and Norman marry, but as her career skyrockets, his tragically fades away.

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