Bootleg Betty
Happy 22nd Anniversary, Wide Release Of Stepford Wives, (June 11, 2004)
By Mister D
June 11, 2026
Bette Midler played Roberta “Bobbie” Markowitz in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives, a supporting role as a sassy, irreverent Jewish feminist writer, recovering alcoholic, and outspoken friend to Nicole Kidman’s protagonist Joanna Eberhart.
Overview of Her Role and the Film
The film is a sci-fi black comedy directed by Frank Oz, with a screenplay by Paul Rudnick. It updates Ira Levin’s 1972 novel (and the 1975 classic) with a more campy, satirical tone. Midler’s Bobbie is one of the quirky newcomers to the idyllic, ultra-conformist Connecticut suburb of Stepford. She bonds with Joanna and the flamboyant Roger (Roger Bart) over suspicions about the suspiciously perfect local wives. Bobbie provides much of the film’s humor through her brash personality, messy home life, and sharp one-liners. After she is “Stepfordized” (transformed into a bubbly, domestic perfectionist), her change highlights the horror/comedy of the premise. Midler’s performance is often cited as one of the film’s energetic highlights, delivering seething deliveries and comedic flair in a star-studded cast that also includes Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, and Glenn Close.
The movie had a reported budget of around $90–100 million and grossed about $103 million worldwide, making it a modest earner but widely viewed as a box-office disappointment relative to expectations.
Awards
The Stepford Wives (2004) received no major award wins or nominations for acting, including for Bette Midler. The film earned mostly negative reviews (26% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics) and was largely overlooked come awards season. It picked up a few minor recognitions, such as 3 wins in lesser categories (e.g., possibly technical or satirical awards), but nothing significant for the cast.
Trivia
Midler herself has a strong awards history (multiple Grammys, Emmys, etc.), but this role did not add to it.TriviaMidler’s character was a writer whose recent book was titled I Love You But Please Die, about her difficult relationship with her mother.
An elaborate deleted scene featured Midler’s robotized Bobbie going haywire: her finger becomes a vacuum, her tongue a squeegee, her head explodes while demonstrating an orgasm, and her chest opens like a cooler to offer a beer. It was the film’s biggest FX sequence but cut after test audiences found it “too much.” It appears on the DVD extras.
The theatrical trailer included snippets of unused “technical glitch” scenes with Midler’s character.
Actor allusion: Walter references “The Wind Beneath My Wings,” famously sung by Midler.
Midler juggled filming with rehearsals for her Kiss My Brass concert tour.
Production Problems
The film is infamous for its troubled production:Reports of clashes between director Frank Oz and stars, including Nicole Kidman and Bette Midler (Oz noted Midler brought personal stress to the set). There were also tensions with Christopher Walken, Glenn Close, and Roger Bart.
Heavy reshoots and rewrites followed poor test screenings. The tone shifted from darker satire toward camp, and the ending was changed. This created plot holes (e.g., ambiguity over whether the wives were full robots or humans with chips).
Frank Oz later admitted regret: “I f***ed up… I had too much money… I didn’t follow my instincts.” He originally envisioned a more intimate film but scaled up due to the big stars and budget.
Overall, while Midler’s lively performance stands out as a bright spot for many viewers, the film’s chaotic behind-the-scenes issues contributed to its reputation as a messy, compromised remake.
Sources: Bootlegbetty.com, Wikipedia, IMDB, New York Post
