The discussion I reacted to was: "But Murphy, unlike Midler, is an actor." That's what I object to: the continual nastiness/revisionist history about Midler. It doesn't actually build up Donna Murphy to tear down Midler, it's just a girl fight that people are creating on this board.
I'm not even addressing the claim that Midler is a great actress, because nobody knows nothing, especially when people claimed for years that stars like Chaplin, Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn were simply playing themselves.
Bette's strong suit may be playing Bette, but that might also be a function of what she was offered in Hollywood and what she turned down. William Goldman said she would have been fine in "Misery" and I agree. FWIW, I actually think you're a bigger fan of Midler's than I am! I don't own a single one of her recordings. |
