Bette & Barbara Unlikely BFFs in ‘Beaches’ 1988

Bette Midler & Barbara Hershey as besties CC & Hillary in 1988's "Beaches."

The 1985 beach read bestseller Beaches became a chick flick favorite upon its 1988 release. Beaches was buoyed at the box office with its hit soundtrack. Bette Midler was at the height of her movie star success in the last half of the ‘80s. Life was a beach for all involved with this popcorn classic.

Baby besties! Mayim Bialik & Marcie Leeds as young CC and Hillary,
from 1988's musical tearjerker "Beaches."

Beaches the film recycles a lot of old movie tropes to provide this latter day chick flick with some nostalgic nourishment. The opening, where the two young girls meet cute and bond at the beach, is a nod to the intro of Lana Turner’s version of Imitation of Life. And the ending, where superstar singer CC walks up the backstage stairs, telling stories to Hillary's orphaned little girl, is a wink to Roz Russell's fabulist Auntie Mame. Also, the story set up, of two totally different females, one brassy, the other classy, with their ensuing ups, downs, and uplift, is straight out of the Miriam Hopkins and Bette Davis ‘40s fave, Old Acquaintance.

As 1988's "Beaches" opens, Bette Midler's superstar rehearses a beautiful version of
"Under the Boardwalk." Then she gets a dire message regarding BFF Hillary!

The soundtrack to Beaches was Bette Midler's biggest hit album. The first single off Beaches was Bette's lovely version of Under the Boardwalk, which opens the film and sets up the first flashback, when CC and Hillary first meet. Surprisingly, it failed to make the 100 Billboard. When Wind Beneath My Wings was released, it soared to #1!

One of my favorite things about movie writing is finding out new things in research. Example: I always assumed that Wind Beneath My Wings was written for Bette. The tune actually was written in 1982, first recorded by Roger Whittaker, then Sheena Easton, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Perry Como, to name a few. While all fine, distinctive singers, they didn’t give it the majestic performative take of the Divine Miss M. Bette’s version won Grammys for Best Song and Record of the Year in 1990. One reviewer aptly commented that this song and others from the Beaches soundtrack invoked more genuine emotion than the actual movie. Like the later For the Boys, the soundtrack also was better than the movie.

The power ballad "Wind Beneath My Wings" is used during the final section of "Beaches," which induced tears and record sales! Barbara Hershey & Bette Midler.

The Beaches book was a bestseller by Iris Rainer Dart. The writer has said the character of brash CC Bloom was inspired by Cher. Dart was the only female writer on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour and Cher's solo variety series. This is amusing as Bette appeared on Cher's first solo series episode and from then on, seemed to declare herself Cher's frenemy. The role of CC in the movie was tailored to fit Bette like a glove.

Bette Midler's CC gives a beautiful rendition of "The Glory of Love" as a tribute to
 her late friend, Hillary, played by Barbara Hershey. From 1988's "Beaches."

Bette Midler, like Cher, has only starred in a handful of movies but she’s made a lasting impression. And like Cher, Bette has a natural flair for comedy and a natural warmth and honesty in dramatic roles. When Bette Midler is good, she’s very good; but when Bette’s bad, she comes off like Ethel Merman at her most over the top. While Bette has some quietly affecting moments in the later serious scenes, the role of CC is not just larger than life, she’s over the top. The best part of Bette is some wonderful musical performances, including The Glory of Love.

Barbara Hershey's enhanced appearance in "Beaches" wouldn't even be noticed
by today's moviegoers, but it raised eyebrows in 1988. 

As for Barbara Hershey, Hillary is a mostly pallid character, but Hershey has some surprising moments as the suppressed society girl. Hershey seems to be an odd choice as Hillary as she was formerly hippie chick Barbara Seagull, seriously taking on the soul of a dead bird. Artsy Hershey seems to fly in the face of appearing in a glossy soap, but the movie biz attracts contradictory types.

Beaches is still a mildly entertaining movie, but it has not aged well. It feels like a collection of bits and shtick. From the girls’ adolescence to 40-ish women, they communicate mostly by letter, which still doesn't smooth over the movie's choppy, episodic nature. It especially shows in CC's career changes. One scene she's a hit, the next she's doing a “B” movie (without ever showing her breaking into movies), the next winning a Tony, the next she's a huge radio and concert performer—is this another nod to Cher's bumper car career? Maybe, but this movie doesn't segue well.

"Young" Bette Midler as CC Bloom, in the early scenes of 1988's "Beaches."

A big problem is that the two leads are not convincing as their younger selves, which is a big segment of Beaches. Bette turned 43 when Beaches was released. And despite some flattering lighting at the concert finale, Midler looks early-middle aged throughout, not like a showbiz newcomer. Barbara Hershey at 40 looks a bit worn and then over-made up and lipped-up as the society woman. Frankly, the women's various wigs depict the passage of time better than they do. 

CC & Hillary face off later in 1988's "Beaches." Thankfully, neither Bette Midler
nor Barbara Hershey get their wigs ripped off!

As often the case in "women's pictures" the men are either dull as dishwater or wallpaper. While John Heard and Spalding Gray are interesting actors, here they are strictly background. James Read comes off like a one-dimensional soap actor. 

The first rift between Bette Midler's CC & Barbara Hershey's Hillary is over
John Heard's artsy director, from 1988's "Beaches."

I wonder how Lainie Kazan felt about playing Bette Midler's mother. Lainie was just five years older than the Divine Miss M! Lainie has just two sequences in Beaches, at the beginning, then mid-picture, when CC goes to Florida to whine to Leona about her failing marriage. Kazan is a scene stealer and is actually quite believable as blood relation to Bette, though older sister would have been more appropriate. Why couldn't Kazan have been the big sister who wanted to be a star, who then focused her dreams on little starlet sister Bette, like Ida Lupino and Joan Leslie in The Hard Way? Hey, I can recycle movie plots, too!

Lainie Kazan's Leona gives daughter CC (Bette Midler) some tough love 
in 1988's "Beaches." 

The child actors, as young CC and Hillary, plus Hillary’s daughter, are all affecting. Mayim Bialik, of course, went on to Blossom, then Big Bang Theory, and finally Jeopardy! Marcie Leeds as young Hillary is sweet, and Grace Johnston as Hillary’s daughter, Victoria, does well in a challenging role.

A tearjerking final moment that dovetails back to young Hillary & CC's first day
 together, as instant friends, from 1988's "Beaches."

Garry Marshall was an old pro at directing/writing feel-good laughs, mixed with heart. He made a career of it on TV with Dick Van Dyke and Lucille Ball’s shows, then hitting the jackpot in the ‘70s with Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and Mork and Mindy, among others. Marshall directed some huge successes as a movie director toward the end of his long career, notably, Pretty Woman. Marshall was also great with actors.

However, Beaches bounces along in its episodic, surface way. The last act, with Hillary’s terminal illness, is truly effective, more so than the rest of the movie. This feels a bit odd, since there's no genuine connection between the two women for the majority of the movie. 

Hillary & CC (Barbara Hershey & Bette Midler) find their bond tested with
Hillary's terminal illness, in 1988's "Beaches."

This was one of Bette's last big hits as a film star. As she took increasing control of her movies, they became more like vehicles and schlocky ones at that. Stella, the '90 Stella Dallas remake was just around the corner, then For the Boys. Both were promising, but didn’t jell. The First Wives Club came eight years later, a comeback, really. A guest-starring part in Mel Gibson’s What Women Want was a hit. Hocus Pocus was a dud turned cult fave. Another no- brainer should have been as Mama Rose in Gypsy for television, but again, it was Bette overkill. On the upside, Bette had a Tony-winning Broadway hit in Hello, Dolly! And a wicked one-woman show on as brassy super agent Sue Mengers in I’ll Eat You Last. Up or down, Bette Midler is still here and mostly divine!

Bette's better acting moments are when she plays simply as the larger than life
CC Bloom in 1988's "Beaches."

Old movies can be timeless, an entertaining product of their time, or worst case scenario, just plain dated. Beaches falls in the latter category, unfortunately, but has its moments. Enjoy!

Here’s my take on Old Acquaintance, where Miriam Hopkins plays the brassy friend to classy Bette Davis, for a couple of decades of fussing and fighting: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/01/bette-vs-miriam-old-acquaintance-1943.html

 

Friends to the end: Barbara Hershey & Bette Midler as Hillary & CC
in 1988's comedy/tearjerker "Beaches."