The 1968 movie that almost derailed Julie Andrews’ career: “A huge failure”
Julie Andrews, who achieved iconic status with Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, saw her career nearly derailed by two consecutive film failures in the late 1960s. The first was the 1968 musical "Star!", a critically-acclaimed but commercially disastrous film about Gertrude Lawrence that lost substantial money at the box office. Andrews herself attributed much of her subsequent career decline to this film, combined with changing Hollywood tastes away from big-budget musicals. The second failure, "Darling Lili" in 1970, compounded matters, forcing Andrews to step away from the screen entirely for several years.
Beyond these films, Andrews points to broader industry shifts and her personal decision to focus on her family life after marrying director Blake Edwards. The landscape of cinema was transforming as smaller, grittier productions gained favour following the demise of the Hays Code; lavish musicals like those Andrews excelled in were falling out of favour. Though "Star!" earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Massey and Best Cinematography, the box office losses overshadowed any critical respect. Andrews eventually rebuilt her career through further collaborations with Edwards, most notably securing an Oscar nomination for "Victor/Victoria" in 1982.
- Julie Andrews' 1968 film Star box office failure damaged her career significantly.
- Hollywood shifted away from big budget musicals during this period.
- She recovered years later with Victor/Victoria in 1982.
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Julie Andrews is one of cinema's greatest stars, famous for her leading roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, the hugely successful musicals of the 1960s. These films made her one of the world's biggest movie stars and seemed to represent the pinnacle of her career.
In 1968, Andrews starred in the musical "Star!", which received critical acclaim and award nominations but proved a commercial disaster, losing substantial money at the box office. A second musical failure, "Darling Lili" in 1970, compounded matters, and these consecutive setbacks forced Andrews to withdraw from filming for several years.
The film industry was transforming in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with audiences and studios moving away from large-budget musicals towards different kinds of films. Andrews' career struggles reflected this broader shift in cinema tastes, connecting her individual failures to larger changes in the entertainment industry.