The Liz Smith Column | 09/22/2009 4:50 am

Liz Smith: Mark Rydell Recalls His Blooming 'Rose' With Bette Midler and Challenging Kate Hepburn (Video)

Also from Our Gossip Girl – Liz and Richard forever and dachshunds on YouTube.

"It was a joy every goddamn day to direct her!"

That’s Mark Rydell talking up his experience guiding Bette Midler through the star’s first movie back in 1979.

This was "The Rose," a riveting take on the Janis Joplin saga/persona. Bette, who was Oscar nominated, didn’t actually portray Joplin, but captured her engaging, desperate essence. Midler’s brilliance was such that there has been no other film since to touch on Joplin’s life. Why bother?

"The Rose" celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special Academy of Arts and Sciences screening of the movie at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Hollywood this Friday, September 25. Rydell – who has also directed such films as "Cinderella Liberty," "The River," "On Golden Pond" and "For the Boys" (his second go-round with Bette) – is to be feted. Midler was set to appear, but had to cancel for "personal reasons." She filmed a special tribute instead.

Now, folks, I’ve talked to many directors who have praised their actors. But honestly I don’t think I have ever heard anybody rave so about a star. Rydell’s enthusiasm was such you’d think he just finished the movie last week. It was an almost stream-of-consciousness flow of worship:

"This was her very first movie and she was terrified. But that brought out my better skills as a director. I was amazed to find her so responsive, so delicious … I wanted her for the movie from the get-go, but nobody in Hollywood knew who she was and said ‘no way,’ so I backed out. But then she began to make a name and they came back and said, ‘OK, you can have her.’ This turned into 80 of the most beautiful days of my career, of my life. And the entire cast and crew felt the same way. They would gather every day to see what would happen with her; where would she go with the character … she had a monster gift, there was nothing she couldn’t do, no emotion was beyond her … it was exhilarating, almost shocking how accomplished she was … all I ever had to do was whisper in her ear, and she understood and would go where I wanted – and much further."

I mentioned the famous, grueling phone booth scene, where The Rose calls her parents – and then gives herself what would be a final killer shot of heroin. Rydell says: "I was stunned that she could go that deeply into that scene of family pain. But I came to think of her as a Stradivarius."

Of her career after "The Rose," Rydell says, "Well, she had many successes, a lot of those Disney comedies. But I believe Hollywood misguided her career, perhaps because of her unconventional looks. She has a special, deep and profound acting talent, which I think has been badly handled in some ways."

Was there any difference directing her years later in "For the Boys," for which she received her second Oscar nod? "It was wonderful to be with her, of course," says Rydell. "But she was ‘Bette Midler’ by then, and perhaps less open, artistically, though she was great in the movie."

***

And what of Miss Katharine Hepburn, whom he put through her paces in "On Golden Pond"? Did one truly direct such a forceful personality or just provide a congenial atmosphere, for the star to do her thing?

"Actually, Kate needed a lot of direction, she needed to be pulled in a lot; she could be all over the place. Now, Henry Fonda was much different. He was the master minimalist. But, of course, Kate was a force of nature, and very responsive once she trusted you."

25 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Mark Rydell made a lovely film of Faulkner’s The Reivers back in 1969. Steve McQueen in one of his best roles. It’s one of Faulkern’s most accesible books and the movie is a joy.

By F P on 09/22/2009 6:40 am

e-mail alert

Gosh 30 years since the Rose? I remember hooking school in 79 and seeing a double feature…The Rose and the movie "Hair". And thinking I was born 10 yrs too late. I immedietely got the big curly perm like Bette and immersed myself in the music…Joplin, Dylan, The Doors….aaah fun times.

By Paula Casagrande on 09/22/2009 7:56 am

e-mail alert

Mark Rydell is truly a gem, and rarely does he get the credit he richly deserves, Liz. Thank you SO much for filling us in on the current status of this talented director. And to think: 30 years have passed since Midler’s bravura performance? Incredible - and that’s because she looks so MAH-VAH-LUSS! And she’s doing such mah-vah-luss things to make NYC greener and cleaner, including spearing trash into big garbage bags, hauling topsoil to make community gardens, and planting trees. What a gal!

And I have a strange feeling that Richard Burton and Liz Taylor might well have gotten back together again, as his daughter stated. It was a dark and stormy marriage, but when it was working and clicking along - what a combo they were. (If you look in the dictionary for the definition of "glamour", you’ll see their picture as they loll on the deck of their yacht off the coast of Acapulco! Zowie!)

As the owner for many years of a dachshund (or should that be the other way around? The ownee for many years of a dachshund?) I screamed with laughter at the YouTube video. Yep. That’s a Dachs for you: perfectly contented to bask in the adoration of the multitudes; perfectly contented to accept the fact that the center of the universe begins with his/her little self; perfectly loyal and true. What a hoot, Liz!

By Susan Crawford on 09/22/2009 8:35 am

e-mail alert

What video? I have three lines of HTML on my machine. Anyone else?

By kermie b on 09/22/2009 8:42 am

e-mail alert

Kermie, try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAhS-EZBJDU

By KatyDid Wells on 09/22/2009 6:10 pm

e-mail alert

You would think with all the concern over her "well-being" that someone would have taken Brooke Astor’s beloved dogs in. Maybe she should have left them $12 million the way Leona Helmsley did with
"Trouble" although even with $12 million no one wanted him. I think he’s living the high life in a hotel in Florida. With a well-paid hotel manager. Maybe "Boysie" and "Girlsie" like to express their dislike of certain people. Maybe that’s why someone had them locked up in the pantry. What fun Dominick Dunne would have with that as an opener to the one story we would have all loved to have read - the one about the final days of Brooke Astor.

As for the Burtons, I don’t think anyone gives Elizabeth credit for having beaten, or at least learned to manage, her addictions. Including him.

I think "Elizabeth Taylor" might have had a fling with him but then "Simply Elizabeth" would have flung him and moved on to Larry Fortensky. Who despite all the jokes was good for her.

Might have. I don’t think she would have risked the damnation of breaking up two of his marriages. You learn as you go. And she learned.

We like to think of the Burtons as Anthony and Cleopatra. I suspect the Burtons realized after the second marriage that they were more George and Martha than Anthony and Cleopatra and while adoring each other from afar, which they did, they would have left well enough alone.

By Baby Snooks on 09/22/2009 9:06 am

e-mail alert

Every time I have seen Bette Midler, I smile. A few years back, she opened for Cher. She had an accident the day before and was on a crutch. She apologized, and then she was off…strutting and singing and joking to the audience’s delight. Within a few minutes, I didn’t even notice the crutch, and it appeared the audience didn’t either. She is so talented and truly a treasure.

By Maggie W on 09/22/2009 9:48 am

e-mail alert

She is so talented and truly a treasure.

_____________________________

She really is the "Divine Miss M."

By Baby Snooks on 09/22/2009 10:03 am

e-mail alert

After Bette Midler finished filming The Rose, she came alone to the La Costa Spa in California to relax and enjoy a couple days of pampering. We met there and I had the joy of spending time with her taking walks and sharing meals. She was an intelligent, highly articulate and empathic woman. Her personality was calm and down-to-earth. It was a lovely experience spending time with her. We had conversations about both of us losing a sister in an accident and about oral interpretation of literature, an art form we both had studied.

I also had the privilege of meeting Katharine Hepburn at her cast party for Coco in New York. Ms. Hepburn had just won the Oscar for The Lion In Winter and there was a party in her honor in the theater lobby after the play that evening. I "crashed" the party walking in through the backstage door with a group who had been invited. No one questioned who I was. I spoke with Ms. Hepburn that evening and told her I had come to see her play and wished her congratulations. She was very gracious to me. She had high cheek bones and piercing blue eyes. She was such a handsome woman. After chatting with her I was introduced to her companion and friend Phyllis. I then went to the buffet table and danced the rest of the evening.

Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow http://LookAroundMe.blogspot.com

By Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow on 09/22/2009 10:59 am

e-mail alert

Ahhh… The Lion in Winter… One of my favorite films of all time. I could watch Katharine Hepburn act every day, but to watch her in The Lion in Winter is a real treat indeed. So maybe she was occasionally a challenge from a director’s standpoint - from my standpoint, she always delivered!

By KatyDid Wells on 09/22/2009 6:28 pm

e-mail alert

Love your stories, Elynne.

My brush with the Divine Miss M was at the theatre. As I sat waiting for the curtain to go up, I noticed Martin von Haselbeg (sp?) sitting one seat to my left in the row in front of me. There was an empty seat next to him and I started to get excited. As the lights went down in rushed Bette Middler to sit beside him and, thus, directly in front of me. This made me happy for two reasons: (1) Bette Middler is not that tall so I could actually see most of the stage for a change and (2) Bette Middler was sitting in front of me!! Don’t ask me what play it was. She sort of consumed all of my concentration. Love her.

My brush with the Divine Miss H was also at a theatre - but backstage. A friend was traveling with the touring company of "A Matter of Gravity" and arranged for me to have a brief audience with my idol after the closing performance in Baltimore. First there was dinner with my friend and Miss H’s dresser, Corrine Bishop (sp?) - which, for this theatre nut, would have been worth the trip even if what came after never happened. And then there was the meeting after the show. I was speechless then and even now find it hard to describe how I felt. It’s over 30 years ago now and, though I recall some of what was said, much of those few moments is now a blur - but I still get a thrill recalling the sensation of walking up to her, being introduced ("Tell her your name," I was told. "She likes to know to whom she is speaking.") and shaking her hand, hoping she wouldn’t notice how much mine was shaking. Till then, though she had made just over a handful of color movies, the overwhelming image of Katharine Hepburn in my mind’s eye was one of shimmering black and white. To see the vital, then-70-year-old Technicolor version in the flesh was electric, bracing. Like someone had cracked a whip. I was petrified. She knew it and was kind. And, YES, I have the same memory of those blue, blue eyes.

As for Mark Rydell’s comment about the clothes and her need for direction - a director can certainly help an actor focus or find some key to playing a role, but he/she can’t do the performance. For that you need a great actor. Rydell got lucky. But in his comment, comparing her to her co-star (the equally great Henry Fonda), there seems to be some sort of implied judgment about the talent of one versus the other. Variety, as the cliche goes, is the spice of life and it is precisely this variety that makes them so much fun to watch in this movie. It’s no secret that Hepburn loved to challenge directors, to lay claim to her turf, so to speak. She probably had no respect for those who backed down (and I can’t really recall any who did since directors are not exactly known for being without ego either), but for those who met the challenge - the Cukors, Stevenses, Hustons, Harveys and even Rydells of the world - she rewarded them handsomely with one memorable performance after another.

By Judy S on 09/23/2009 9:15 am

e-mail alert

Dear Jackfreeman123…Mr. Wow has been very depressed since the Labor Day weekend, when Glenn Beck suceeded in forcing the resignation of Van Jones. Nothing since has been encouraging. I am…on edge. Your three identical, pointless responses here are the limit. We are all Taylor Swift to your Kayne West. I don’t want a hoodie, a Rolex, an Ed Hardy handbag or Ugg boots. And even if I did, I’d avoid such a repetetive pitch. Thank you.

As for Miss Midler and "The Rose"—-the only truly great acting performance she ever gave or ever will give. Which is one more than I am capable of, so…brava to Bette. And to Mr. Rydell, who caught something amazing in Midler. If only for a moment in time.

By Mr. Wow on 09/22/2009 2:51 pm

e-mail alert

I recently saw Bette on the Kathy Griffin show (My life on the D List) and was quite surprised to see she is not at all what I envisioned her to be. She always seems so loud, gaudy, over the top and brash. But I guess in real life away from the stage she is quiet, refined, bordering on prim and proper, and repulsed by profanity. Not at all what I always, for decades believed her to be.

The contrast in personalities was a shock and took me awhile to get used to. But I like it. It makes sense given all that I heard about her philanthropic activities and what she has supposedly done to clean up and "green up" New York. She is something else.

By Belinda Joy on 09/22/2009 3:20 pm