Devouring Films: A Star is Born

Things Norman Maine Taught Me About Unemployment

I just watched A Star is Born after having it for about a year from LoveFilm (or, ok, like a month), not because I didn't want to watch it but because there was never a time when the big TV in my house was free for 3 hours, and a musical really demands a big screen! Anyway, I really enjoyed the film, even if it wasn't necessarily the musical I was expecting (as in, there was no spontaneous singing, but rather only singing where it should be, like in performances and stuff), and Judy Garland was, as ever, truly amazing. I have decided however, that rather than giving you a full on review, I'd tell you the things that I have learnt from Norman Maine, Judy's husband in the film, about how to deal with unemployment. There are clear dos and don'ts that he represents, and I think we can all learn a lot from him. It goes a little something like this:

Dos

• Handle being fired with dignity- Norman manages not to make a scene when he is fired, since it would only make things worse. He instead takes it like a man, even though it is done at his own house, at a party he is hosting.
• Get some hobbies- Norman's seem to include hitting golf balls around the room, playing cards (solitaire, naturally), and cooking.
• Take pleasure in your wife's company, especially when she's an awesome star and can sing like no one else.

Don'ts

• Be jealous of your wife's success and resentful because you can't get any work
• Get drunk and ruin your wife's Oscar acceptance- not very good form at all. Even though she doesn't seem to mind that much, it's still not a very nice thing to do. On a similar note, 
• Plead for a job during your wife's Oscar acceptance- all the industry bigwigs might be there, but it's still not exactly the best time to do it...
• Continually drink so that you need to check into a rehab facility
• Once you get out of said rehab facility, try not to start drinking almost straight away because some idiotic guy you used to work with (or who used to work for you) makes fun of you
• Walk into the sea because you think it'll be the best thing for your wife, who you just want to be happy. Suffice to say, your death will not make her happy.

I think these are all vital points to be aware of when one is despairing over their status of unemployment. Also, this about sums up the final third of the film, just so you know! I'm going to try now not to resent my own wife's success and go and make something of myself... I'll let you know how it goes!