Director: Mark Rydell. Writers: Bo Goldman, Bill Kerby. Starring Alan Bates, Frederic Forrest, Harry Dean Stanton.

Midler had been offered films earlier in her music career but turned them all down until she found a vehicle she thought appropriate. (She most notably turned down the role of Adrian in “Rocky” and the role played by Stockard Channing in Mike Nichol’s “The Fortune.”) Waiting proved to be a smart move since by choosing “The Rose” as her first feature Midler managed to make one of the most acclaimed and dynamic film debuts in film history. This thinly veiled biopic of Janis Joplin earned Midler an Oscar nomination as Best Actress, two Golden Globes as Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical and Best New Star of the Year-Female and a Grammy for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance for the film’s title song. Midler gives a ferocious performance as the self-destructive rock star being pushed to the edge by the demands of fame.