The Rose (1979)

The story of the tragic life of a self destructive female rock star, modeled after Janis Joplin.

Director:

Mark Rydell

Writers:

Bo Goldman (screenplay), Bill Kerby (screenplay),

Stars:

Bette Midler, Alan Bates, Frederic Forrest

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Midler	...	Mary Rose Foster
Alan Bates	...	Rudge Campbell
Frederic Forrest	...	Huston Dyer
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Billy Ray
Barry Primus	...	Dennis
David Keith	...	Pfc. Mal
Sandra McCabe	...	Sarah Willingham
Will Hare	...	Mr. Leonard
Rudy Bond	...	Monty
Don Calfa	...	Don Frank
James Keane	...	Sam
Doris Roberts	...	Mrs. Foster
Sandy Ward	...	Mr. Foster, Rose's Father
Michael Greer	...	Emcee
Kenny Sacha	...	Female Impersonator (as Claude Sacha)

Storyline

Bette Midler plays "Rose", an artist strikingly similar to Janis Joplin. The film follows Rose's career during her last tour. Her rock and roll lifestyle of Drugs, Sex, and Rock and Roll and constant touring lead her to an inevitable breakdown.

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Plot Keywords:

roses | drugs | artist | female impersonator | adultery | 

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Taglines:

She gave and gave, until she had nothing left to give

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pearl

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$29,200,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Rose (Bette Midler) asks Dyer (Frederic Forrest) where he came from, he says "Waxahachie, Texas", which is Frederic Forrest's real home town.

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Goofs

The car phone has a rotary dial, but when Rose makes a call, the soundtrack sounds like a touch tone phone.

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Quotes

Rose: Ain't it just grand layin' there late at night in your bed, waitin' for your man to show up? And when he finally does, at oh about 4 o'clock in the mornin', with whiskey on his breath, and the smell of another woman on his person... Oh honey, I can smell another woman at 500 paces. That's a easy one to catch.
[crowd gets really noisy]
Rose: Oh, the women are getting nasty. So what do you do when he comes home with the smell of another woman on him? Do you say, "Oh honey, let me open up my loving arms ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Lyrics of "The Rose" are displayed at the end of the credit crawl, scrolling to the ending of the song.

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Connections

Referenced in Diff'rent Strokes: The Music Man (1982)

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Soundtracks

"Fire Down Below"
Written by Bob Seger
Performed by Bette Midler

User Reviews

Do not miss this film! A masterpiece in disguise!

Bette Midler IS the Rose! There are not too many films out there in which the viewer forgets their watching a movie - this is one of them. Watching The Rose is almost like snooping on someone's personal life... you know you shouldn't but you can't believe what's being revealed to you right before your eyes! Bette Midler is simply "divine" and completely believable as the worn-out, alcohol-abusing rock star who is in dire need of love and a break but continues to please her audience - and her ruthless, money hungry manager. After kicking a bad drug habit we watch her throughout the movie slowly, little by little, sink back down to the bottom. You root for her throughout hoping she just runs away from the rock and roll life that's slowly killing her but she seems to need it as much as it needs her. In the end it devours her and we're left wondering "why". This film changed my life when I was a teenager with a rock 'n' roll dream. Bette Midler pours her heart and soul into this film, and it shows in every frame. Combine that with an awesome sound track, breathtaking full length song performances and an over-the-edge personality and you have one heck of a film here!