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Twin Falls Times News
Midler innocent of attack on Stanwyck
Friday, February 16,1990

Q: Why did Bette Midler take a swipe at the acting talents of Barbara Stanwyck? I can’t believe Bette would do anything like that just because she’s now starring in a remake of one of Stanwyck’s old weepies. – C.O.

A: That episode got blown up in the telling. Truth is, Midler has the highest regard for Stanwyck’s acting. What happened is that Bette, whose new movie, “Stella,” is a loose redo of Stanwyck’s “Stella Dallas,” was
t a l k i ng about the clothes Barbara wore in the earlier flick, not her talent.

“The challenge in ‘Stella’ was to strike just the right tone, to keep it all real-looking,” says Midler. “My dresses weren’t created for the movie; they came right out of j u nk shops, the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Barbara was
very endearing in ‘Stella Dallas,’ but I think she was out to lunch with her clothes. Poor people, even if they could sew, wo u l d n ‘t have had the outfits she wore in the picture.”