Customer Reviews

Isn't She Great [VHS]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The hilarious Miss M does it again! Her timing is fab and she nails the delivery. Nobody can tell off God quite like Bette as trash novelist, Jackie Susann. While the movie was not a knock-your-socks-off hit, the critics are wrong. With perfectly cast supporting players, a super-ditzy 70s-style score by none other than Burt Bacharach, and wonderful costuming and sets, the film was very enjoyable and I recommend it to those who actually have a sense of humor.

Stockard Channing (who really shines in over-the-top roles) is incomparable and a perfect match to Bette. Her best lines are second only to Bette's conversations with God and her editor. Master of the stage, Nathan Lane, delivers his usual outstanding performance as the endearing, funny, supportive husband and handler of Bette's wacky, exceedingly self-centered Susann. Bette and Nathan are like cream and sugar. David Hyde Pierce brings Niles' charm and wonderful sensitivity to his character as Bette's editor. John Cleese, always a very funny guy, doesn't get nearly enough screen time or lines, but makes the very best of it anyway.

So what if the bio wasn't accurate, it never is. And the acting was not overdone at all, it was meant to be flamboyant! Will I see it again? You bet! If only just to listen Bette tell it like it is. Way to go, Miss M!

This movie was so good,funny, and affecting that I ended up seeing it twice in the cinema. Now, I'm a BIG Bette Midler fan. I mean BIG.But I can't really say that I am biased, because ANY film with her radiates such warmth, and energy, and this one is no different. This movie isn't very thought-provoking, but it is sincere,hilarious, but at the same time very, very fragile.All the costars did a solid job, but this is Bette's party, this is her movie. I won't give away the plot, but it's about a writer, Jackie Susan (she wrote 'Valley of the Dolls"), in the 60's, and she is in every sense of the word a rockstar.Over the top,dramatic, in your face, flashy, but with lots of heart and soul.She keeps getting rejected, 'till she finally gets her chance at becoming what she aspires to be- a writer. Then Jackie gets a punch, she's diagnosed with cancer. But she gets ten more years, and on those ten years, she takes you on ana entertaining and delightful ride, without ever once losing spirit. The way Bette portrayed Jackie, she made her seem like such a lovable person, warm,fiery,crazy,shrewd,witty, and full of heart-someone a lot like me.I bet Jackie was great.And you know what, so is Bette. I reccommend everyone sees this film.It's the perfect comedy, with just a touch of sad.

The title comes from the phrase that Jacqueline Susann's husband, Irving Mansfield, uttered about his wife at every possible turn. The story is based, rather vaguely, on an article by writer and editor Michael Korda titled "Wasn't She Great?" (His final assessment? Not really, but she was certainly, er, colorful). Korda had been Susann's editor for her second novel THE LOVE MACHINE, and an aghast-yet-fascinated witness to the publicity juggernaut that the writer and her husband launched to sell the book (much as they had for her previous effort, VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, only now they had a pink jet to cart them around).

In short, there is material for an interesting movie here, but although the movie is a harmless time-passer, it's not something you have to see, either. To begin with, the tense, angry Susann, the human equivalent of an overloaded watch spring, is played by a jolly and rather-too-zaftig Bette Midler (not too zaftig to be seen mind you, just to be playing a woman who seemed to live on booze, tobacco, and mood-altering prescription drugs). The real Susann, who arrived in New York with a high-school diploma, a pot habit, a complicated relationship with her father, and a burning desire to Be Famous, spent most of her life chasing the fame at the cost of a happy and productive life; she did bit parts in plays, became a married, but faithless, nightclub showgirl, knocked around in television. And by her late forties was at about the same place as she had been over 20 years earlier. The anger and frustration of those years was apparently drained into her names-changed showbiz potboilers, full of unhappy, promiscuous people who hop from bed to bed when they aren't too stoned on pills and booze to walk in a straight line (mind you, I haven't actually read any of the books--the closest I've come is a spoofy review that Calvin Trillin did of one of the novels and sitting through the last half hour of the movie version of VALLEY, appropriately while stoned on pain-killers and nursing a broken ankle--as I remember, Sharon Tate was pretty and very touching and Patty Duke yelled a LOT).

It's rather hard to reconcile such bile with this movie (written by Paul Rudnick) about a nice Jewish lady who writes a naughty little novel and helps everybody, including her up-tight WASP-y editor (David Hyde-Pierce) to overcome their sexual hangups, fitting all of this in between weeping over the fate of her autistic son and popping by Central Park to chat with God (Susann did have an autistic son and she did have the odd chat with the Deity, but if you want the lowdown of how they fit into her rather dark life story, better to check out Barbara Seaman's LOVELY ME, one of the best biographies I've ever read about a writer I have no interest in reading). That lady, as I've mentioned before, is played very agreeably by Bette Midler, and Nathan Lane is just as affable playing her husband. Hyde-Pierce is basically doing a re-mix of Niles Crane, but he is such an assured and appealing actor that you really don't care. There are also amusing turns by Stockard Channing as an actress friend of Midler's and John Cleese as an eccentric publisher. Also, some nice music by Burt Bacharach (even a Bacharach/David song sung by Dionne Warwick), pretty photography, nice costumes YAWN, YAWN . . .

It it a great movie if you like Bett Midler and Nathon Hall (which I do)!!

I first saw this movie a few months ago on cable & fell in love with it. I actually never heard of it until I saw it that first time. I had to have it. Bette is fabulous in the movie. She is funny, soulful & caring. The movie is not too campy, just enough. Stockard Channing is wonderful in the movie as well. She is extremely funny and doesn't go unnoticed. The costumes in the movie are gorgeous. Any drag queen's dream wardrobe. LOL! This is a must have.

I just got the DVD and had not seen the movie since it was released several years ago now. Watching it again, I could see that Bette Midler didn't really even try to BE Jackie she just played it as bette midler saying Words that Jackie would (or may have) said in any of the given situations of her life. Now thinking back to what a great performace Midler gave in the "Rose" I am not sure what she was thinking here-but I liked it the first time (aka-I am big midler fan) and and I enjoyed it again (Aka-I am Midler fan) not sure if you were not a big midler fan that you would enjoy her playing Jackie but again if you are-it's a fun 90 mintues.

Loose biopic of the life of Jacqueline Susann, author of "Valley of the Dolls". Susann died of cancer in 1974, Good work by Bette Midler in the title role. Nathan Lane, of course, was great as Irving Mansfield, her agent and doting husband. And what an amazing collection of neckties! Nice supporting work by David Hyde Pierce, Stockard Channing and John Cleese. I'm giving this film 4 stars mostly for its design elements, and the fact it was partly shot in Montreal. :) It's a nice little movie.

Look...every review I have read of this movie bags it. I bought it because I bought the Bacharach soundtrack and the music is fab. This film wasnt released in Australia and having read so many bad reviews I had to buy it and see for myself.
I liked it. Its not an epic, its a bit dizzy, a bit syrupy, a bit camp and there arent any special effects or car chases...but it was NICE. Just nice. Great actors, good sets and cinematography. The script is weak but makes its point and for those who know anything about or have an interest in Miss Sussann a worthwhile look.

I am a HUGE fan of Nathan Lane so of course i bought this, but if your not upsessed with either Nathan or Bette Midler, then I don't think you need to own this film. I mean I really liked this movie, it's funny, but other wise the movie is quite a flop....

2 things were wasted in the making of this film: the fabulous life of Jacqueline Susann and the tremendous talent of Bette Midler. The director must have been asleep at the wheel or had his mind elsewhere but the filming.

The film seemed disjointed in every sense. There have been dramedies that have been successful but the marriage of drama and comedy isn't compatible in this film. Also, the musical direction in this film is poor! Okay, so Burt Bacharach wrote the song from the first Jackie Susann movie, VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. However, his music just didn't fit with the LIFE of Jacqueline Susann or even the movie.

Stockard Channing glows in this film and hers is the stand-out performance. The costumes are amazing and vividly depict the fashions of times and then some. Bette looks great in the retro look.

Hopefully, someone can remake this film properly. The life of Jackie Susann should be told, whether it be a comedy or a drama. Unfortunately, this version is not worthy of storytelling.