for the boy be the story of two people the irrepressible dixie leonard ( bette midler ) and the instantly dislikable but ever popular eddie spark ( james caan ) . set against the backdrop of war in which the united state have be involve and the film move from station to station a the pair entertain the boy while they bicker and fight amongst themselves . the film start with an age midler tell a studio assistant ( arye gross ) her tale and start in the forty with world war ii and move through the be in korea and climaxing in vietnam . along the way and she get to sing a few classic tune and include stuff like that there and p. s. i love you and a part of the stage act of comedian eddie spark . bette midler deliver a fine performance a the embittered dixie leonard who have see it all in fifty odd year in the business . she layer her performance with emotion after emotion and have the gift of bring out that quality in her fellow actor . the highlight of this film be her understated performance of in my life at the small vietnamese camp truly a moment when the world stop turn and we be grace with a glimpse of heaven . james caan and play a quintessential son of a bitch and be less comfortable in his role but have some fine moment opposite his dynamic co star . the purpose of this film be not to document the war which form such an integral backdrop to the plot . it succeed primarily a a story of people their suffering and their joy be real and it affect the audience in no uncertain term . you will either love or hate this movie . either way and take the time to decide it worth the screen even if only for the divine miss m .