The movie was originally titled "Pearl", which was a biographical movie based on Janis Joplin's life. The film's screenplay was revised and fictionalized after her family declined to allow the producers the rights to her story.
Bette Midler performed the soundtrack album, the title song track "The Rose" was one of the biggest selling vinyl singles of 1980.
Mark Rydell would only agree to direct if he could cast Bette Midler in the lead. Before that, Midler had only appeared in bit parts, and was known primarily as a nightclub singer.
When Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler) asks Huston Dyer (Frederic Forrest) where he came from, he says "Waxahachie, Texas", which is Forrest's home town.
Private First Class Mal (David Keith) is seen applauding Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler) from the wings during her singing of "Stay With Me Baby", though it wasn't in the script. Keith simply spontaneously applauded Midler's heart-wrenching performance. Director Mark Rydell felt it was a good touch, and decided to include it.
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