European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 22, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Miche e fitter surging toward stardom by Robert Lindsey new York times Michelle the voice coach said this time Don t think out the words As you sing them just think of yourself As that girl in Casablanca who s getting on the plane and May never see her Man  for at least the 20th time Michelle Pfeiffer standing alone in a darkened Hollywood studio beside Sunset Boulevard recording the sound track for a new movie Sang the song More than you know. The voice of the actress who is perhaps Best known for playing a Witch and a mob Moll was surprisingly Strong and tender. But one note near the end was not quite right. When she finished she swore softly lit a cigarette in the dark studio and speaking Over the microphone to her voice coach and recording engineers in the adjoining control room said let s do it again right away. I know i can do it  almost an hour later after Pfeiffer had Sung the song at least 20 times More she said she was satisfied. I guess i can be hard on myself she said a few minutes later during an interview. Propelled by the same sense of perfectionism and enthusiasm for her work that she demonstrated in the sound Booth she has emerged on the Brink of major stardom. During the same period she says she has been successfully facing the Challenge of living alone and making decisions on her own after the breakup of a seven year marriage for the first time i m getting comfortable with being alone and actually really liking my life. I think i m taking More control Over  indeed Ine experiences in her personal life appear to have contributed to Pfeiffer s maturity As an actress. As the scene in the recording studio demonstrated she has grown More assertive about her work. At 30, Pfeiffer has 12 movies and several major television productions among her credits. Although the work usually has earned favourable reviews Many of her roles have been in largely forgettable films such As grease Charlie Chan and the curse of the dragon Queen and Sweet Liberty. She has yet to achieve the stature of a Jessica Lange or a meryl Streep but during the last year or so she has appeared in a series of films that have nudged her closer to the front ranks of Hollywood actresses. Since bewitching Jack Nicholson in the 1987 film the witches of Eastwick Pfeiffer has Seldom stopped working. The surge began with a pcs film of John o Hara s Short Story Natica Jackson in which Pfeiffer artfully played a 1930s film Beauty who fell in love with a chemist she met during an automobile collision. Then came married to the mob the breakthrough movie for Pfeiffer in which she portrayed the resilient widow of a Long Island mafia hit Man with a comedic and affecting flair that reminded Many of Carole Lombard. Next was the writer director Robert Towne s tequila Sunrise a convoluted film about drug dealing in Southern California which Pfeiffer ornamented with her portrayal of a sexy sardonic and Sharp tongued restaurant owner who 20 years ago might have been portrayed by Lauren Bacall. Late last month her third theatrical movie of 1988 was released. In dangerous liaisons a film based on Chod Erlos de la Clos s 200-year-old French novel Les liaisons danger uses Pfeiffer co stars with Glenn close and John Malkovich As an alluring and virtuous wife snared into a tragic web of sexual intrigue. Because of budget constraints and a desire to beat the director Milos Forman who is preparing his own film based on the Book to the screen the picture was filmed in France by the British director Stephen Frears in Only 10 weeks. Working on the project was pleasant but difficult Pfeiffer says. It was a very Short schedule with an enormous amount of work crammed into a very Short facing the challenges of newfound Fame Michelle Pfeiffer with Kurt Russell in tequila Sunrise. Warner Bros. Period of time and playing the part of Madame de tour Vel was emotionally demanding and very  Harper s Bazaar not Long ago included Pfeiffer on a list of the world s 10 most Beautiful women. But As she sat on a sofa at the recording studio talking about her life and career she had a very different look. Dressed in Black leotards and a baggy Gray sweater she wore Little makeup and her Blond hair was anything but neatly coiffed. Only her Large Almond shaped Blue eyes translucent and thoughtful suggested that photogenic Quality that has helped make her a Star. She said she had planned to take a Long break after completing dangerous liaisons. I was tired she said after filming three films almost Back to Back. But after Reading the script for the fabulous Barker boys the film for which she was recording More than you know she decided she wanted to be a part of it. In the film which co stars Beau and Jeff Bridges she portrays a lounge Singer a role she prepared for with two months of voice lessons. It s a Story she said about not giving up on your dreams that when you give up your dreams you  it is a theme that is perhaps close to her heart. Growing up South of los Angeles in Orange county s Midway City Pfeiffer remembers As a child of 5 or 6 watching actresses on television and saying to Warner Bros. Pfeiffer in the new film dangerous  herself i can do  at Fountain Valley High school she dabbled in student theatrical productions but spent More time on the Beach joining Many of her Peers in using drugs and alcohol As instruments of rebellion against Middle class parents. But she was an ambitious woman her drive energized by a father owner of a heating and air conditioning business who tutored Pfeiffer a brother and two Sisters on the merits of work at an Early age. Her first Job at 14, was Selling clothes in a shopping mall others followed. Because her High school gave credit for after class jobs she was allowed to graduate after three years. Planning to become a court reporter she enrolled in a Steno typing class and briefly attended Junior College. But much of her life entered on her Job As a clerk for a supermarket. One Day when she was 18, while checking out customers she recalls asking herself what she wanted to do with her life. Remembering the enjoyment of her participation in a High school play she answered acting. While still clerking she drove several times a week to acting classes in los Angeles. She got an agent moved to los Angeles continued her acting lessons and began to be called Back after auditions. At 20, she landed a role in Delta House a Short lived to series and began to get Small roles in minor movies. For More than a year she was part of a quasi religious metaphysical cult she thought its practice of vegetarianism would help keep her slim. I was brainwashed and i gave them an enormous amount of Money she said. At 22, Pfeiffer married the actor Peter Horton now a member of the cast of television s thirty something and he helped her break away from the cult. Their divorce in 1987 was a huge disappointment for both Peter and me she said. For a Long while she continued i did t think i could take care of myself i Felt i was going to destroy my life i was t capable of taking care of my life. It s been two years now. I be found that not Only is that not True but i can do a pretty Damn Good Job of  Pfeiffer who shares her Home in a coastal Community near Here with two dogs and a cat says the Success of married to the mob had affected her mostly by giving her the Chance to consider better scripts. It has also confronted her with the difficulties of becoming acclimated to greater Fame. Being an actor it is very difficult to separate yourself you Are you yourself and you Are also a product it can be very difficult to separate them. Knowing that when your e Reading a bad review it s not you. And it s hard to separate them when you read a great review and it says you re the second coming or something that it s not you. How Many people get to go into a recording studio and record songs How Many people get to be a Singer for two months i get to fulfil All of these dreams i get to be these other people but then when the movie wraps i be got to go Back and be me and then i be got to read what they say about  Page 16 the stars and stripes sunday january 22,1989