It's no mystery why this movie was a flop. I've watched it more than once & I never feel like I'm watching a film about author Jacqueline Susann. Just a movie starring Bette Midler (in a dark wig) playing Bette Midler, or a standard Midler character. It's obvious Midler did no research into Susann to portray her. There is plenty of footage around (game shows, talk shows, etc.) where Midler could have studied her a bit. She adopts none of her mannerisms, speech, anything. I think Midler's ego & persona are so gigantic, she just isn't equipped to play a real person. She was fine in "The Rose", but she wasn't actually playing Janis Joplin, just an over-the-top singer loosely based on her. I don't know why she even bothered with this?? I don't know enough about Irving Mansfield to make an opinion of whether Nathan Lane's characterization was effective or not, but as a whole his character was watchable. Stockard Channing was very good as friend Florence Maybelle (a hybrid of different people). But I would have preferred to see Susann's friendship with Doris Day displayed instead. You know a movie's in trouble when the plot's so thin, they toss in a useless fashion show. Another silly aspect of the movie is that the producers tried to make it look like a movie based on one of Susann's novels (Dionne Warwick theme song, bright jelly bean colors, etc.) This is like a slap in the face to Susann who hated the movie versions of her books. I give it three stars for costumes, sets, automobiles, Stockard Channing, & it's attempt at camp value.
Review of Isn't She Great
