Touchstone & Beyond: A History of Disney’s “Stella”




This week, Bette Midler learns to raise her daughter Jenny independently in the heartwarming family drama Stella.

Logline
Stella is a barmaid in tiny Watertown. She is good at her job, and when she meets a doctor named Stephen, the two have a passionate romance, which leads to Stella getting pregnant. Refusing Stephen’s offer of marriage, and abortion, Stella has the child and names her Jenny.

Over the following years, with failed romances with her friend Ed and bringing Stephen back into Jenny’s life, Stella watches Jenny grow and showers her with the love and care that any child needs from their parent.

Jenny is doing well in school and is close to graduation, which could lead to her going to college. The problem that Stella realizes is that Jenny is falling prey to the small town, the poor side of life, in which Stella and her live. A romance with a thug named Jim causes Jenny to get into trouble with the police. Wanting more for her daughter, Stella concocts a plan with Stephen and his fiancé to take Jenny and ensure that she gets the best of her life.

Staging a fight with her daughter, Jenny leaves her mother behind. Years later, it’s time for Jenny’s wedding, and the caring daughter does her best to find Stella and include her on the big day. Though Jenny may say I do without her mother beside her, Stella is not far from watching her daughter with joy in her heart.

High Praise
Bette Midler and Trini Alvarado have great chemistry as mother and daughter, and their scenes are lovely. Something wholesome and real about their characters’ daily struggles
makes this viewer feel like the movie is less fantasy and more real.

Midler has a tough job as Stella. The character is outrageous, crass, and flamboyant at times. Midler steers deftly with her performance by giving Stella a balance that makes the audience like her.

What Were They Thinking
Stephen Collins is tough to watch on screen. His admission of guilt to his crimes makes any of his work difficult to take in. No fault to the filmmakers, but Collins’ presence in the film has not aged well.

John Goodman should have been more prominent in the film. Ed is a character that could have been developed more. I’m thankful that John Candy did not join the film. It would have left him no room to shine.

Backlot Knowledge
The film received two Razzie Awards nominations, one for Midler’s performance and one for the song ‘One More Cheer for Me.’
On the DVD jacket for the film, images of Bette Midler from Beaches are used in the artwork.
Producers wanted John Candy to play Ed. Midler reportedly wanted him to audition for the role, which did not sit right with Candy, and he chose to abandon the role.
The movie is based on the 1923 novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty.
This is the third time the book has been adapted for the screen. Previously it was released in 1925 and 1937 as Stella Dallas.

Many critics did not like the film. In his review, Los Angeles Times critic Peter Rainer asked, “Do we really need to be put through another version of Stella Dallas?” Peter, the last film was made in 1937, and there are 60 years between the two, so it is a big deal.
Roger Ebert was a movie fan and gave the film 3 1/2 stars in his review.
The movie opened at the number two spot behind Driving Miss Daisy.
Stella was a huge success when it was released on VHS.
The movie was based in Watertown, NY, only forty-five minutes from this writer’s home.
Ben Stiller plays Jenny’s thuggish boyfriend, Jim.

Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Clapper-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award-Worthy– This Film is Cinema.}

Stella is a little Overexposed but enjoyable. Bette Midler makes Stella a character for whom the audience can root. Midler is at her best in trying to make this well-known story interesting, and she gives her character enough heart and balance for the audience to care about the story.

If you want to complete your Bette Midler watch party, Stella is a must. Stella is the one for you if you are bored and need something new.

Best Quotable Line
“I read them women’s magazines, you know. The ones that tell you how to get a better life. They say, ‘Go in a new direction.’ I wanna say, ‘Where’s the door?’” (Stella)

This is an excellent quote from Midler’s Stella and, quite honestly, a perfect takedown of the motivational posters and phrases that offer no help to someone who is downtrodden.

Call Sheet
Bette Midler as Stella
Stephen Collins as Stephen
Trini Alvarado as Jenny
John Goodman as Ed
Production Team
Directed by John Erman

Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Silver Screen Partners III / The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Written by Olive Higgins Prouty / Robert Getchell

Release Date: February 2, 1990

Budget: $19 million

Domestic Box Office Gross: $20,240,128

Coming Attractions
Touchstone and Beyond will return in two weeks with a look at Where the Heart Is.

Bill Gowsell

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3 thoughts on “Touchstone & Beyond: A History of Disney’s “Stella”

  1. I just looked at the DVD Jacket for “STELLA.” There are no images from “BEACHES” in the artwork. Was this film really #2 when it premiered. I thought it was much more of a flop but that’s not so bad.

  2. I just looked at the DVD Jacket for “STELLA.” There are no images from “BEACHES” in the artwork. Was this film really #2 when it premiered. I thought it was much more of a flop but that’s not so bad. I am surprised Roger Ebert gave it such a good review but I remember he did disagreeing with Gene Siskel who like most critics thought it was awful.

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