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Stella

  • 19901990
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
Chronicling a strong, but eccentric woman's devoted relationship to her daughter through the years.
Play trailer2:34
1 Video
16 Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance

Chronicling a strong, but eccentric woman's devoted relationship to her daughter through the years.Chronicling a strong, but eccentric woman's devoted relationship to her daughter through the years.Chronicling a strong, but eccentric woman's devoted relationship to her daughter through the years.

IMDb RATING
6.0/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Erman
  • Writers
    • Olive Higgins Prouty(novel "Stella Dallas")
    • Robert Getchell(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • John Goodman
    • Trini Alvarado
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Erman
  • Writers
    • Olive Higgins Prouty(novel "Stella Dallas")
    • Robert Getchell(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • John Goodman
    • Trini Alvarado
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:34
    Trailer

    Photos16

    Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler in Stella (1990)
    John Erman in Stella (1990)
    John Goodman in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler and Stephen Collins in Stella (1990)
    John Goodman and Bette Midler in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
    Bette Midler, Trini Alvarado "Stella"
    Trini Alvarado, Ben Stiller "Stella"
    Ben Stiller, Trini Alvarado, Bette Midler "Stella" 1990

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bette Midler
    Bette Midler
    • Stella Claireas Stella Claire
    John Goodman
    John Goodman
    • Ed Munnas Ed Munn
    Trini Alvarado
    Trini Alvarado
    • Jenny Claireas Jenny Claire
    Stephen Collins
    Stephen Collins
    • Stephen Dallasas Stephen Dallas
    Marsha Mason
    Marsha Mason
    • Janice Morrisonas Janice Morrison
    Eileen Brennan
    Eileen Brennan
    • Mrs. Wilkersonas Mrs. Wilkerson
    Linda Hart
    Linda Hart
    • Debbie Whitmanas Debbie Whitman
    Ben Stiller
    Ben Stiller
    • Jim Uptegroveas Jim Uptegrove
    William McNamara
    William McNamara
    • Pat Robbinsas Pat Robbins
    John Bell
    • Bob Morrisonas Bob Morrison
    Ashley Peldon
    Ashley Peldon
    • Jenny (age 3)as Jenny (age 3)
    Alisan Porter
    Alisan Porter
    • Jenny (age 8)as Jenny (age 8)
    Kenneth Kimmins
    Kenneth Kimmins
    • Security Guardas Security Guard
    Bob Gerchen
    • Bartenderas Bartender
    Willie Rosario
    • Dancing Waiteras Dancing Waiter
    Rex Robbins
    • Ministeras Minister
    Ron White
    Ron White
    • Tony De Banzaas Tony De Banza
    Matthew Cowles
    Matthew Cowles
    • Sidas Sid
    • Director
      • John Erman
    • Writers
      • Olive Higgins Prouty(novel "Stella Dallas")
      • Robert Getchell(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Stella is determined, courageous, vulgar, unfashionable...and all her daughter has. Through the trials of teenagehood, to the problems of adulthood, Stella will do anything for Jenny...ending in an selfless, unforgettable sacrifice. —Jennifer Valley
    • motherhood
    • sacrificing for one's child
    • character name as title
    • forename as title
    • one word title
    • 22 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • PG-13
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the first two film versions, Stella marries Stephen, but in this version Stella remains unmarried.
    • Goofs
      When Ed leaves Stella's in a huff on Christmas Eve, he slams the front door and the wreath falls off. However, when Stella says goodbye to Jenny, the wreath is hanging up again.
    • Quotes

      Stella Claire: I read them women's magazines, you know? The ones that tell you how to get a better life. They say, "Go in a new direction." I wanna say, "Where's the door? I'll go but where's the goddamn door?"

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Stella/Heart Condition/Men Don't Leave/Flashback/Cinema Paradiso (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      The Letter
      Written by Wayne Carson Thompson

      Performed by The Box Tops

      Courtesy of Arista Records, Inc.

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    Bette Midler Shines
    This is one where some terrific performances are trapped in a movie that, as a whole, doesn't quite work.

    Bette Midler shines as Stella, a working-class high school dropout who slings drinks in an Upstate New York bar. She meets a rich college boy (Stephen Collins) who's taken with her quirky zest for life and they have a kid. But marriage is out of the question. Stella knows in her heart she'd never fit into his world. As the kid grows up, Stella wrestles with what's best for the kid versus what she wants for herself. This quandary eventually leads to a mother's sacrifice.

    Based on the 1923 novel STELLA DALLAS by Olive Higgins Prouty, this story was first filmed in 1925 with Belle Bennett and again in 1937 with Barbara Stanwyck as the star. By 1990 the story just seemed far-fetched and very old-fashioned and Midler's follow-up to the smash hit BEACHES was a box-office disappointment.

    It's a shame because Midler gives a terrific performance. Her Stella is full of love and self-doubt as she rides the highs and lows of her threadbare life. She eventually ends up selling cosmetics door to door to pay for things for her daughter (Trini Alvarado). Stella puts her life on hold to give her daughter what she thinks the daughter wants. Only problem is the daughter wants something else.

    Also very good in this film are John Goodman as Ed, Stella's longtime friend who's on a downward spiral, and Marsha Mason as the warm and understanding Janice, the woman who will become the daughter's step-mother.

    Others in the cast include Ben Stiller, Linda Hart, Eileen Brennan, and William McNamara ... but watch this one for a great performance by Bette Midler.
    helpful•4
    1
    • drednm
    • Apr 14, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 2, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Стелла
    • Filming locations
      • Boca Raton, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Silver Screen Partners III
      • Touchstone Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,240,128
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,311,656
      • Feb 4, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,240,128
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

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    Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado in Stella (1990)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Stella (1990) officially released in Canada in English?
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