The Rose 1979

In late 1969, Mary Rose Foster, a famous rock and roll diva known as “The Rose,” enjoys fame but endures a lonely, exhausting personal life. She is exploited and overworked by her gruff, greedy manager and promoter Rudge Campbell. While she presents a bold, brassy exterior, Rose is insecure, battles alcoholism, and has a past with drugs, which fuels her craving for validation. Driven by a need to reconnect with her Florida hometown, she plans to return as a superstar to perform for the people from her past.

After a New York City show, Rose meets Billy Ray on Long Island; he treats her badly, ordering her never to perform his songs and dismissing her. Learning that Rudge arranged the meeting to sign Billy Ray to his label, Rose defiantly flees with a limousine driver, Huston Dyer. The two head back to New York, where Rose resumes recording sessions; a whirlwind romance quickly grows.

Rudge suspects Huston is just another hanger-on, but Rose believes she has found true love. Huston eventually reveals he is an AWOL Army sergeant, and she shares stories of Florida. The relationship becomes turbulent as Rose’s tour-heavy life continues.

In Memphis, Rose is greeted by Sarah, a former lover. When Huston walks in on the two women kissing, a violent fight erupts, and Huston flees.

Determined to reunite with Huston, Rose searches the Memphis red-light district with Mal, a young military man she met in Texas. She brings Mal to accompany her to her Jacksonville hometown show, which Rudge has booked. They visit Rose’s childhood home, high school, and local landmarks, building anticipation for the hometown reunion. At the stadium, Rose repeats her intention to take a one-year break, and Rudge reveals he will still ensure she performs. He fires her as a contractual leverage, though the act is a ruse to secure the performance. An emotional Rose is soon reunited with Huston, who has traveled to Jacksonville.

Believing the concert is canceled, Rose decides to run away with Huston, taking him on a tour of the bars and clubs she once frequented. They drink heavily, take barbiturates and heroin, and a jealous incident arises when a male patron harasses Rose during a performance. After a call from Rudge, she is urged to return for the show. Under pressure to appease him, Rose agrees to perform; Huston, heartbroken, leaves town.

Rose takes the stage for the opening song of her long-awaited homecoming, but she collapses and dies of an overdose. The film closes with a haunting final image: Rose’s parents and Mal at a garage, a reporter trailing Rose’s story; they look through childhood pictures and clips she gathered from Billy Ray. Mal switches off the lights, and the space goes dark, leaving memories of Rose lingering.