Bootleg Betty
Video – Bette Midler – Isn’t She Great – Full Movie
By Mister D
June 19, 2026
Overview
Isn’t She Great (2000) is a biographical comedy?drama starring Bette Midler as bestselling author Jacqueline Susann, presenting a fictionalized and highly stylized version of Susann’s life. The film was directed by Andrew Bergman with a screenplay by Paul Rudnick, based on Michael Korda’s 1995 New Yorker profile “Wasn’t She Great?”
The movie follows Susann’s rise from struggling actress to the sensational author of Valley of the Dolls, her marriage to press agent Irving Mansfield (Nathan Lane), her relationship with her disabled son, and her battle with breast cancer.
Key Production Facts
Release date: January 28, 2000
Running time: 95 minutes
Budget: $36 million
Box office: $3 million (a major commercial failure)
International co?production: U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan
Not released in Japan despite co?production involvement
Principal Cast
Bette Midler — Jacqueline Susann
Nathan Lane — Irving Mansfield
Stockard Channing — Florence Maybelle
David Hyde Pierce — Michael Hastings
John Cleese — Henry Marcus
Amanda Peet, John Larroquette, Christopher McDonald, Paul Benedict, Frank Vincent in supporting roles
Plot Snapshot
The film dramatizes Susann’s:
relentless pursuit of fame
marriage and professional partnership with Mansfield
complicated relationship with her institutionalized autistic son
meteoric success with Valley of the Dolls
struggle with breast cancer leading to her death in 1974
Trivia & Notable Details
The film is intentionally fictionalized, leaning into camp, exaggeration, and Rudnick’s comedic tone.
Despite being an international co?production, Japan never released the film, an unusual outcome given Toho?Towa’s involvement.
The film opened on 750 U.S. screens, but poor reviews and word?of?mouth led to a rapid box?office collapse.
Bette Midler’s performance was singled out by critics — not for praise, but for Razzie attention.
Awards & Nominations
Golden Raspberry Awards (2001)
Nominee — Worst Actress: Bette Midler
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards (2000)
Nominee — Worst Actress: Bette Midler
No wins — only nominations, both for Midler’s performance.
Sources: Bootleg Betty, Wikipedia, IMDB Pro
