The Rose (1979)

It's 1969. Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler) is a tired superstar. She is lonely, drunk, a recovering drug addict, and desperate to get off the stage. His greedy manager Rudge Campbell talks her out of it. She gets dismissed by country legend Billy Ray (Harry Dean Stanton) and she runs off with limo driver Huston Dyer (Frederic Forrest). He's AWOL from the Army.This is a tour de force performance from Bette Midler. She uses all of her singing and stage presence to be a rock star on film. It helps that she does really perform on stage. There are some solid hits. It's her film acting debut and she shines. It's a great launching pad for her. The plot does ramble on and on. It would help to place a destination or a ticking clock on the story. I never really love Dyer although I thought they were building good chemistry until that incident. I assumed that relationship would be central all the way to the end. The flow is a little ragged. The overriding takeaway is Bette Midler's terrific performance.

I finally got to see "The Rose" (1979) last night. It's a sad tale of a Janis Joplin-like rock star, Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler), who desperately wants to take a break from the rock 'n' roll train, but her manager (Alan Bates) won't let her due to business obligations.It's not all sad though. The film plays-out like a docudrama with quite a bit of lively concert footage. If you like this style of rock (guitar/horns/etc.) you'll like the movie more than I did. The Rose falls for a limo driver (Fredric Forrest) and they have some misadventures, mostly at bars and other places of the night, like a drag queen show. The plot culminates in The Rose' "coming home" gig at her hometown in Florida.Bette is passionate in the role, but I was never a fan. Nor do I dislike her; I'm neutral. The role calls for a lot of hysteria because that's the rock star lifestyle, at least it was in that era, 1970. As such, the film's really over-the-top. If you can't stomach a lot of hysterical scenes I'd suggest staying away.I prefer 1991's "The Doors", which has the same theme, but is about a real individual, Jim Morrison, and contains more recognizable (better) music.BOTTOM LINE: Unless you like Bette Midler and the style of music, this movie won't likely trip your trigger. It's the story of a rock star who needs a break but can't get it, so she goes totally out of control. It's "sex, drugs and Rock 'n' roll," but it's mostly alcohol and rock 'n' roll -- music, alcohol, bars, music, alcohol, bars, repeat to the end. That's the movie. I'm skipping something, but I don't want to give it away; it should be obvious anyway.GRADE: C+

Bette's starring debut and she owns this film. She is tough, tender, heartrending, difficult, pragmatic, wounded and loaded with talent. You can't take your eyes off her and she holds the focus of the picture with ease. A wise decision was made to cast the great Alan Bates as her manager, when they go toe to toe forget about it, they tear up the screen. Frederic Forrest is equally strong as the man who is passing through Rose's chaotic life. The problem area comes in the script which is a cliché of all the star bios that have come before. A very thinly disguised retelling of the Janis Joplin story it never really digs deep into what caused her inner turmoil but Bette makes up for any shortcomings with enough emotional force to propel several movies.

First-rate rock'n'roll road film.When I saw it in the theaters the year it was released I was a. totally impressed by it as a film and b. totally sympathetic with Rose.I have to say though that 10 years later as a manager and agent for musicians (not rock'n'roll and certainly not on the scale presented in the film) I had a whole new appreciation for people who possessed one undeniable talent yet made life hell for those who worked to help them make a living at it! Having managed one very popular high-end Irish booze-hungry performer who showed up when he felt like it ("I know when the sound check should be") and also felt free to book conflicting dates on his own when he felt the money would be better -- AFTER a contract had been signed! -- I felt huge sympathy for Rudge Campbell. Yes he might have been a little too money hungry but by god he was right when he "fired" her... once the contract is signed it's too late to change your mind.Bottom line though is that this is a fine film and a very accurate record of how an unstable performer can run herself into the ground.