For the Boys

Bette Midler earned her second Oscar nomination for this film after being snubbed twice in the 80s for supporting actress (Down and Out in Beverly Hills) and best actress (Beaches)- this according to Roger Ebert. Midler is at her best here carving another character that a large variety of women can identify with. Midler is sassy and brassy. It is interesting to see the subtle changes in her character through the years. Midler's Dixie goes from naive and innocent to the world of show business and the politics of war to a wiser and stronger woman unafraid to have her voice heard. The film suffers from a few major faults. It seems that Midler and Bruckheimer had huge asperations for the film as it covers WW2, The Korean War, Vietnam, and Communist witch hunts in America. The weak script cannot tie these events together in a consistent manner nor can it dig deep to give the audience a different view of war (from the eyes of a woman). I am a Bette Midler fan and she carrys the film well. However, she is in almost every scene of the film. Remember Barbara Streisand in Yentl? Same issue. Giving the supporting players more screen time could only have enriched the film. The old age makeup borders on over the top (the makeup team was credited with Dick Tracy a few years prior). The film loses some momentum by presenting the story in flashbacks. So we never feel Midler and Company are truly in danger from enemy fire. I would have liked Midler to have a few more scenes that would allow her to show her dramatic acting chops. The film could have benefitted from more time with Midler's character and her husband. It was a missed opportunity to allow intimacy into the film in conjunction with a real romance. James Caan seems uncomfortable in his role and Mark Rydell didn't seem interested in giving Caan two or three musical numbers to show why these soldiers truly loved him. This film bombed at the box office and marked the end of Midler's consistent run as a leading lady. That is truly sad as there are few women who can sing, act, and tell a joke like Midler. Midler turned down Misery the year prior (also starred James Caan) which could have propelled her to that top level in Hollywood. Had she done Misery, maybe Midler would have had even more clout thus getting better writers to assist in her vision of For the Boys. This film is worth a look. It has great music, a wonderful score, and great cinimatography. There are a few scenes in this film that truly look authentic (Stuff like that There/PS I Love You). George Segal was great to watch. He seemed to truly understand the film and his role in it. Had Midler been daring and put George in James Caan's part, there would have been much more chemistry throughout the film. If this film was a labor of love for Midler (she was sued by Martha Ray citing it was Martha's life story), and the film failed at the box office (Midler felt, at the time, it was rejected by the public) she should at least find solice in the fact that she gave one of her finest screen perfromances of her career.