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The Rose

  • 19791979
  • RR
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
8.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Rose (1979)
The tragic life of a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.
Play trailer1:01
2 Videos
96 Photos
  • Drama
  • Music
  • Romance

The tragic life of a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.The tragic life of a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.The tragic life of a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
8.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Mark Rydell
  • Writers
    • Bill Kerby(screenplay by)
    • Bo Goldman(screenplay by)
    • Michael Cimino(story)
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • Alan Bates
    • Frederic Forrest
Top credits
  • Director
    • Mark Rydell
  • Writers
    • Bill Kerby(screenplay by)
    • Bo Goldman(screenplay by)
    • Michael Cimino(story)
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • Alan Bates
    • Frederic Forrest
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 64User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 5 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Official Trailer
    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 12
    Video 27:32
    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 12

    Photos96

    Bette Midler and Alan Bates in The Rose (1979)
    Bette Midler, Norton Buffalo, Pentti Glan, and Mark Underwood in The Rose (1979)
    Bette Midler in The Rose (1979)
    Bette Midler and Alan Bates in The Rose (1979)
    Bette Midler in The Rose (1979)
    1 sheet movie poster
    1 sheet movie poster
    1/2 sheet movie poster
    Grande
    The Rose (1979)
    The Rose (1979)
    The Rose (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bette Midler
    Bette Midler
    • Roseas Rose
    Alan Bates
    Alan Bates
    • Rudgeas Rudge
    Frederic Forrest
    Frederic Forrest
    • Dyeras Dyer
    Harry Dean Stanton
    Harry Dean Stanton
    • Billy Rayas Billy Ray
    Barry Primus
    Barry Primus
    • Dennisas Dennis
    David Keith
    David Keith
    • Malas Mal
    Sandra McCabe
    • Sarahas Sarah
    Will Hare
    Will Hare
    • Mr. Leonardas Mr. Leonard
    Rudy Bond
    Rudy Bond
    • Montyas Monty
    Don Calfa
    Don Calfa
    • Don Frankas Don Frank
    James Keane
    James Keane
    • Dealeras Dealer
    Doris Roberts
    Doris Roberts
    • Rose's Motheras Rose's Mother
    Sandy Ward
    Sandy Ward
    • Rose's Fatheras Rose's Father
    Michael Greer
    Michael Greer
    • Emceeas Emcee
    Kenny Sacha
    • Female Impersonatoras Female Impersonator
    • (as Claude Sacha)
    Michael St. Laurent
    • Female Impersonatoras Female Impersonator
    Sylvester
    Sylvester
    • Female Impersonatoras Female Impersonator
    Pearl Heart
    • Female Impersonatoras Female Impersonator
    • Director
      • Mark Rydell
    • Writers
      • Bill Kerby(screenplay by) (story by)
      • Bo Goldman(screenplay by)
      • Michael Cimino(story) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Bette Midler plays The Rose, a female rock star strikingly similar to Janis Joplin. This movie follows her career during her last tour, as she's determined to return to her hometown in Florida. Although a success, she's exhausted and lonely, but is forced to continue working by her gruff and greedy manager. Though loud and brassy, she is an insecure alcoholic and former drug user, who seems to crave approval in her life. She begins a romance with a limo driver, who is actually an A.W.O.L. Sergeant from the Army. Her musician lifestyle of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll", along with the constant touring, leads her to an inevitable breakdown. —R. John Berggren <jberg@nina.pagesz.net>
    • roses
    • bath house
    • f rated
    • loosely based on a true story
    • drugs
    • 80 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The legend of "The Rose" continues...
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Music
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The movie was originally titled "Pearl", which was a biographical movie based on Janis Joplin's life. When approached with the script for "Pearl", Bette Midler believed it was too soon after Joplin's death to portray her life in a movie. Re-writes were then made, with Midler's guidance, that deleted some portions of the original script, and embellished other parts of the story. Then the re-written script was named "The Rose", and Midler agreed to the lead role.
    • Goofs
      The Rose shoots up heroin in a phone booth, even though she has no water - a necessity for intravenous usage of a powdered narcotic.
    • 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 and my loving legs. Dive right in, baby, the water is fine"? Is that what you say, girls?

      [the women in the crowd scream "No!"]

      Rose: Or do you say, "Fuck this shit! I've had enough of you, you asshole! Pack your bags. I'm putting on my little waitress cap and my fancy high-heeled shoes, I'm gonna go find me a real man. A good man, a true man."

    • Crazy credits
      Lyrics of "The Rose" are displayed at the end of the credit crawl, scrolling to the ending of the song.
    • Alternate versions
      CBS edited 14 minutes from this film for its 1984 network premiere.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Linda McCartney Story (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      The Rose
      Music and Lyrics by Amanda McBroom

      Performed by Bette Midler (uncredited)

    User reviews64

    Review
    Top review
    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!
    helpful•38
    9
    • tellafriend
    • Aug 3, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 7, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Pearl
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $29,174,648
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $793,063
      • Nov 11, 1979
    • Gross worldwide
      • $29,174,648
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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