The year is 1979, an Hawaiian born actress is about to explode onto big screen, her first starring film role will make her an icon, and the movie will go down as a classic.
The actress? The "trash with flash" stage performer named Bette Midler. She already has 6 albums out as a singer, but the seventh, a soundtrack and the movie of the same name is about to make all those who don't know who she is stand up and take notice!

The movie? The Rose, a role which would earn Ms. Midler: a Golden Globe for Best Actress (1980); a Golden Globe for Best Newcomer to Film (1980); Entertainer of the Year from Conference of Personal Managers West (1980); a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal (The Rose) (1980) as well as an Academy Award (oscar) nomination for Best Actress of that year.
First off here's the Facts...

Category: Drama
Director: Mark Rydell
Running Time: 2 hours and 14 minutes
Rating: R
Main Cast
Bette Midler....Mary Rose Foster (The Rose)
Alan Bates .... Rudge
Frederic Forrest.... Dyer
Harry Dean Stanton.... Billy Ray
Barry Primus.... Dennis
David Keith.... Mal
Sandra McCabe.... Sarah
Now.. on with the story...
The Rose is a movie about a fictional rock star, and the world of the music industry. Wrongly, this movie has been called a "Janis Joplin Biography" or said to be based on the life of Janis Joplin. This is not the case.
Originally, Ms. Midler was approached with a script for a movie called "the Pearl" which was based on the life of the rock star and icon Janis Joplin, Ms. Midler however refused the script, saying she had too much respect and admiration for the rocker to try to portray her life on film so close after the time of her death.

The script came back to Bette Midler years later, re written and re vamped, so no longer did it closely resemble Ms. Joplin's life, but rather encompassed the life of many of the rockers of the time. So much of Bette is visible in Rose, she did put her heart and soul into that character to make it her own. Her voice is raw and gripping and the acting is amazing.
We follow Rose as she spirals out of control, having switched heroin for bottle after bottle of alcohol, and soaking up the adoration of her fans as if it too was an addictive drug. But Rose is tired, so tired, and just wants more then anything to take some time off and rest, out of the limelight and off the stage. Her stormy relationship with her oppressive and controlling manager takes bad turn after bad turn, forcing Rose to run away, just to have some control over her life.
She turns to Houston Dyer, a driver, and falls for him. Enjoying the company, the support and the love. However, she realizes she has to choose between, either her career or her man. The need to perform posseses her and she realizes that she can never leave the stage. At home, performing for a sold out crowd in her home town, she is nervous about going out there, in front of the town that treated her like trash when she was growing up. She decides to go out there, and show them that she has risen above all the demons that reside in her past, that she has made it without them. However, on the way to the concert, her fear, and the tension take over, and she takes a powerful dose of heroin.
Out there on the stage, her body giving out on her, she looks around, not seeing, "Where are ya going? Where is everybody going?" and fades out into blackness. Rose, the rock stage, had died as she had lived her life, on the stage, with thousands of people feeding her with their love and adoration. "She gave and gave, until she had nothing left to give."

This movie takes you the audience on a rollercoaster type journey that you are unable to control. The final scene will rip your heart out, not only for the death of the character, but for the end of the fabulous journey on which you've been the passenger.

The performance is solid and absolutely spell binding. Ms. Midler is The Rose, her voice raw with emotion, and able to switch the emotions of her audience instantly. The Rose is a triumph in film, and music.


Interesting FAQ's:

-The relationship between Rose and her manager is said to be similar to the rocky business and personal relationship Ms. M had with former manager Aaron Russo (some have even said that Alan Bates resembles Russo)
-The soundtrack to "The Rose" was produced by Paul Rothchild, who was producer of Janis Joplin's biggest LP "The Pearl"
-During the time of the filming of "The Rose" Ms. M met up with a lady named Bonnie Bruckheimer, who would become not only a close friend, but a future partner in the creation of "All Girls Production" Company.
-Mark Rydell, the director of "the Rose" would later team up with Midler again in the film "For The Boys" which would earn Ms. Midler her second Oscar nomination for Best Actress