The Rose (1979)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

best movie i've ever seen.

Best movie ever!

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

I recall this film being a bit of a big deal when it came out, even though I never saw it until now. And I did not know that the star character was supposed to be sort of like Janis Joplin. But I was not twenty minutes in before I realized that was exactly what it was. Bette Midler certainly had the pipes to pull off this role. I understand that she made her chops as a singer before doing any acting, so it stands to reason. It was all okay. Nothing really special, nothing really wrong with it. I did wonder about the characters singing the 1976 song "The Fire Down Below" in a movie set in 1969, but maybe it is older than I thought.

I finally got to see "The Rose" (1979) last night. It's a sad tale of a Janis Joplin-like rock star, Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler), who desperately wants to take a break from the rock 'n' roll train, but her manager (Alan Bates) won't let her due to business obligations.It's not all sad though. The film plays-out like a docudrama with quite a bit of lively concert footage. If you like this style of rock (guitar/horns/etc.) you'll like the movie more than I did. The Rose falls for a limo driver (Fredric Forrest) and they have some misadventures, mostly at bars and other places of the night, like a drag queen show. The plot culminates in The Rose' "coming home" gig at her hometown in Florida.Bette is passionate in the role, but I was never a fan. Nor do I dislike her; I'm neutral. The role calls for a lot of hysteria because that's the rock star lifestyle, at least it was in that era, 1970. As such, the film's really over-the-top. If you can't stomach a lot of hysterical scenes I'd suggest staying away.I prefer 1991's "The Doors", which has the same theme, but is about a real individual, Jim Morrison, and contains more recognizable (better) music.BOTTOM LINE: Unless you like Bette Midler and the style of music, this movie won't likely trip your trigger. It's the story of a rock star who needs a break but can't get it, so she goes totally out of control. It's "sex, drugs and Rock 'n' roll," but it's mostly alcohol and rock 'n' roll -- music, alcohol, bars, music, alcohol, bars, repeat to the end. That's the movie. I'm skipping something, but I don't want to give it away; it should be obvious anyway.GRADE: C+

I'm at a loss to explain the success of this movie. It's not that it was awful, but I didn't see anything that special about it. Maybe there was something groundbreaking in 1979 that I'm missing, having not seen it then.Short form, I feel like all I saw was Bette Midler alternately crying and screaming. This may well be what such people go through, and to her credit, Midler cries and screams with the best of them, but I'm exhausted, and not in a cathartic way. I'm exhausted from trying to find some reason to care about this character, who never seems to be empathetic, and never seems to make any good decisions. To make matters worse, I've watched the film on This TV, which pads movies with extra commercials, so I've had three hours of crying and screaming.If this truly was Janis Joplin's life, if there was never a happy moment for her to just relax and enjoy, then I feel for the poor child.

First-rate rock'n'roll road film.When I saw it in the theaters the year it was released I was a. totally impressed by it as a film and b. totally sympathetic with Rose.I have to say though that 10 years later as a manager and agent for musicians (not rock'n'roll and certainly not on the scale presented in the film) I had a whole new appreciation for people who possessed one undeniable talent yet made life hell for those who worked to help them make a living at it! Having managed one very popular high-end Irish booze-hungry performer who showed up when he felt like it ("I know when the sound check should be") and also felt free to book conflicting dates on his own when he felt the money would be better -- AFTER a contract had been signed! -- I felt huge sympathy for Rudge Campbell. Yes he might have been a little too money hungry but by god he was right when he "fired" her... once the contract is signed it's too late to change your mind.Bottom line though is that this is a fine film and a very accurate record of how an unstable performer can run herself into the ground.