In this thinly disguised Janis Joplin biography, Bette Midler outdoes herself as “The Rose,”an out-of-control, incredibly talented, self-destructive singer who turns to the bottle, sex, and anything else she can to hide from her intense inner pain. Hard living, hard boozing, and bent on destroying herself, the singer is depressed and feels unloved.
The Rose is Mary Rose Foster, a girl from a small town. At one point, her tearful phone call to the father (Sandy Ward) who never approved of her only results in his disapproval once again. Sadly, her mother (Doris Roberts) has even less do to with her. This only fuels her depression and addiction. Her rock and roll lifestyle of drugs, sex, and rock and roll and constant touring lead her to an inevitable breakdown.
Midler is heartbreaking as the woman who becomes known to the world and herself as, The Rose. Her life takes many unexpected twists and turns before the unforgettable and shocking ending is revealed. Midler pours her heart and soul out in her Oscar nominated performance, for Best Actress of 1979, and her dedication shines through.
Loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin, the film doesn’t really go much into her upbringing, origins and rise to stardom, but more so shows her demise at the hands of her greedy manager who simply won’t let her quit… She does her best to “get away” (acting out, escaping, wreaking havoc, falling in love, going on drinking binges) between the concerts, but can never quite escape.
Character to watch: Bette Midler as Mary Rose Foster.
Journal your answers to the following questions after you watch the movie.
- How does this particular character’s journey compare with yours?
- Did the character develop certain characteristics during the movie that you have or that you would like to have? If so, what are those characteristics?
- What obstacles did this character face? What was his or her biggest challenge?
- What would you have done differently if you had been in the same position as the character?
- Is this character the type of person you would be friends with? Why or why not?