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Luft, 65, daughter of Judy Garland, who starred in the 1954 version of the film, and Sid Luft (who produced the film) describes it as her mother's biggest role – and the biggest disappointment in a new book ., A star is born, Judy Garland and the film that goes away, co-written with film historian Jeffrey Vance, which includes rare photos and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. (Garland had three children, Liza Minnelli with her second husband Vincent Minnelli and Lorna and her younger brother Joey Luft.)
"The film's story and its underlying celebrity messages are too close to home," writes Luft, who describes how the same themes of celebrity, addiction, and self-destruction have all played out in life agitated Garland.
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Judy Garland at A star is born
Warner Brothers / Getty
"It was a kind of life imitating art in the imitation of life," Luft told PEOPLE.
Especially in the scene where Garland, speaking of his fears for his alcoholic husband (played by James Mason), says, "You do not know what it is that to look at someone who just likes to be s & # 39; Collapse, little by little, day after day. day."
As Luft says, "She is the one who talks about her life. In one way, it was the story of my mother.
Garland's path to self-destruction had begun in her first studio days at MGM as a young actress when she was given amphetamines to lose weight.
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"MGM was a factory," explains Luft. "They had the biggest faces on the movie, Hedy Lamar, Lana Turner, Katherine Hepburn. They looked. Mom was not a child.
"They did not know the damage to a child's psyche, binding it because his bust was getting too big The Wizard of OzShe said, "All they knew was that everyone was taking what they called pep pills to give people energy and that did not make them hungry. It came to the commissioner that every time mom went to lunch, she was to be taken in. While Mickey Rooney ate a cheeseburger.
Desiree Navarro / WireImage
The "pills" taken by Garland were amphetamines, which led to a long-term fight against alcohol and pills, culminating in his death in 1969, at the age of 47, of 39 years of age. an overdose of barbiturates.
Garland was hoping for a comeback when A star is born created with great success. But at 181 minutes, the studio decided that it was too long and several scenes were cut, bringing it back to 154 minutes.
"They cut it off and it cost him the Oscar," says Luft in reference to the Best Actress award in 1954 that Garland lost to Grace Kelly for A country girl.
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Afterwards, it was difficult for Garland to watch the movie. Said Luft: "It was heartbreaking for her because she knew what she had done.
"It's cruel," she says, "but it's also one of the most beautiful stories in the film industry and that's why I call it" the escaped movie. "
Luft's book also tells the story of the film, starting with the 1932 film, What Hollywood price? who became the inspiration for 1937 A star is born, starring Janet Gaynor, the 1954 version with Garland, and the 1974 rock and roll version, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
She is delighted to see Lady Gaga, as a singer who becomes a superstar. "I think it will make me think of my mother but I think it will also make me incredibly proud. The way she and Bradley Cooper wrote the music together is just fantastic. They must make their film. Nobody took it from them.
A star is born
Neal Preston / Warner Bros.
Now the mother of two daughters and grandmother of three children, Luft is happy that her mother's music continues. "Look at the million children around the world who love The Wizard of Ozand all the people who love A star is born. "
Each October brings another reminder. "Every time I am at Halloween, I see children dressed in blue gingham dresses and red slippers and I say to myself:" Who else can have that? "And I am grateful."
Luft, who was honored on 21 September in West Hollywood with Lorna Luft Day, has many reasons to be grateful. After being diagnosed with brain tumor earlier this year, she was operated on, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. "I'm fine," she says. "I will never be able to say that I am without cancer. All I can say is that I am here today and that I am very lucky. "
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