The Rose (1979)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Mark Rydell

Writers:

Bo Goldman (writer)
Bill Kerby (story)

Release Date:

7 November 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Drugs | Drunkenness | Rock Music | Alcoholism

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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
Claude Sacha	...	Female Impersonator

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Iceland:L | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

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.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Rose: Where you going...? Where's everybody going...?
[she collapses onstage]

Movie Connections:

References What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Soundtrack:

Love Me with A Feeling

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!