A 1979 film directed by Mark Rydell and starring Bette Midler in her first film appearance as a vulnerable, self-destructive rock singer looking for love. The supporting cast includes Alan Bates, Frederic Forrest, and Harry Dean Stanton.
Tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Rose's parents. One of whom is played by Doris Roberts (Mrs. Foster/Rose's mother).
- The Alcoholic: Rose is almost always seen drinking from a bottle.
- Artistic License – Pharmacology: The Rose shoots up heroin in a phone booth, even though she has no water - a necessity for intravenous usage of a powdered narcotic.
- Award-Bait Song: The title tune, sung by Midler, is actually an aversion; because composer Amanda McBroom hadn't written the song specifically for the movie, it was ineligible for Academy Award consideration. (It did win Midler a Grammy Award, however, and became a massive hit.)
- Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: Several between Rose and Houston throughout the film.
- Broken Bird: Rose
- Broken Tears: Rose has these, whether she's giving an emotional performance on stage, arguing with her manager or her boyfriend and other personal struggles.
- Definite Article Title
- Destructive Romance: Due to several factors (drugs, promiscuity, fame, ect.), the relationship between Rose and Houston eventually turns violent through the course of the movie.
- Died Standing Up: Rose actually dies on her feet. It takes a few seconds for her body to collapse.
- Downer Ending: Rose loses her boyfriend, indulges in a fatal combination of heroin, alcohol and barbiturates and dies onstage during her comeback concert.
- Driven to Suicide: Heartbroken from her breakup with Houston, Rose decides to indulge in a fatal combination of heroin, alcohol and barbiturates before her concert.
- Famous Last Words: "Where you going...? Where's everybody going...?"
- Foreshadowing: Remember the tear-stricken out-of-breath sounding opening monologue by Rose in the beginning? Oh God. Once you seen the whole movie (up to the film's tragic ending), the film's opening will make a lot of sense and a lot of tears.
- Interrupted Intimacy: After her concert, Rose and Houston start celebrating. Kissing as they walk together backstage. It's implied that her old friend Sarah hadn't been there, they would've gone further.
- Later, Houston walks in on Rose and Sarah making out in the bathroom.
- Lipstick Lesbian: Rose's old friend Sarah and Rose herself.
- Love Triangle: Several examples, but the main one is Rose's choice between Houston and her desire for fame.
- Never Accepted in His Hometown : Rose wants desperately to return to her hometown a success. It doesn't go well for her.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Rose is basically a thinly-veiled version of Janis Joplin.
- Oscar Bait: As Rose, Bette Midler sings, she gets strung out, and she dies. Midler was nominated for Best Actress but lost to Sally Field (Norma Rae).
- Please Don't Leave Me: Rose gets down to her knees and screams this crying when Houston has had enough of her abusive lifestyle and leaves her.
- Public Bathhouse Scene: After an argument, Rose goes looking for Houston inside a men's public bathhouse. Hilarity Ensues.
- Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll: Lots of all three. During the first on-screen concert, it's even a "crowd chant".
- The '60s: The film is set in 1969...
- Present-Day Past: ...although it looks more like The '70s, considering the year the film was released (1979).
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: Houston after being hit one last time by Rose during their last fight together.
- Slut-Shaming: Inverted when Rose tells Houston the football story, then played straight in the western bar.
- Skewed Priorities: Despite her manager's attempts to take her to a hospital and get treatmeny for her fatal drug overdose, Rose decides she'd rather give one last concert instead.
- The Last Straw: After being slapped by Rose one too many times during arguments, Houston decided he's had enough and hitches a ride out of town away from her.
- The Tragic Rose: Rose herself, of course, to the fullest use of the trope.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Houston to Rose after her behavior in the western bar.
- Your Makeup Is Running: Rose, whose face is constantly ruined from crying and her tears ruining her mascara.
