Midler back in tale of friendship

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 24

Midler back in tale of friendship

By

BARBARA BLADEN

It has been 10 years since the comedienne, Bette Midler, played a dramatic role, and it took creating her own company, All Girl Productions, to put it together. “Beaches,” which will start at the Mid City and Hollywood, Sumner, today, is based on Iris Rainer Dart’s best-selling novel and a creative impulse originated by Midler.

“I had a close friend who died at the age of 20, so I fully understand the relationship. It’s a wonderful thing to have such a friend, especially in this day and age, when it’s difficult to have friends for more than a month,” she said of the film, in which Barbara Hershey plays her best friend. The story begins on the beach at Atlantic City where two little girls meet. They become lifelong friends. Cast with amazing resemblance to the two lead actresses are Mayim Bialik (Midler at 11) and Marcie Leeds (Hershey at 11), with the

brilliant touch of casting Lainie Kazan as Midler’s mother.

"My feeling is there are only a few tribes and obviously she’s a member of mine. The resemblance is strong,” Midler said of the young girl who in an interview was affecting Midler’s gestures and intonation.

“I never saw myself as a difficult child, although I once heard a woman tell my mother I must be a handful. Somewhere in my conscience I guess I believe that still.

“Actually, my husband says so all the time. I think it came as a big surprise to him, but he’s adjusting.”

She was anxious to know if the critics cried and laughed, and kept saying, “Be honest, tell me, tell me!” “That part of me in the C.C. character that wants to know if her friend thinks she’s talented is very much like me. Did you like me? Am I talented? Tell me,” she said with an uproarious laugh.