6 page article on the Legend of Arthur Laurents...- Page 2

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 6:18pm

All you have to do is read Laurent's memoirs to know that he's a bitter, nasty, frustrated old man. The way he characterized Farley Granger was abominable; when Farley's book came out a few years ago, he was very diplomatic about Laurents without being untruthful.

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 6:24pm

Just odd to me that he'd want all of this to come out BEFORE the revival opens. There's nothing flattering about him as a human at all. How can this and other recent accounts NOT tarnish any critics review ?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 6:27pm

I agree, why would he want this article to come out now?

Though I am sure all of the critics know of his reputation and history. That didn't stop them from raving over GYPSY.

[dayao]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 6:38pm

First, let me say that although I do like the film and think that Spigelgass' script is superior to Laurent's stage play, I do not believe that the screenplay is perfect; it has its own set of problems such as the unnecessary voiceover and reading June's letter out loud. In fact I agree with all of the criticisms you mentioned. Regardless, I feel the screenplay is still an improvement on the original play because it more accurately portrays the relationship between mother and daughters that is the core of the story. The best way that I can say it is that I find the screenplay more "dramatic" and the stage play more "comedic". But I firmly believe that Spigelgass' script should not be used as a blueprint if GYPSY were to be remade as a film. However, the flaws I mentioned in Laurent’s' book would still have to be addressed for a successful transition to film, something the Bette Midler TV version also did not do very well. I think we all agree that GYPSY's fantastic score deserves the best and most realistic rendering of the story possible and so far neither the stage nor either of the films have done this enough to match the superb score.

Updated On: 3/16/09 at 06:38 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 8:13pm

Wow, great article. Loved Sondheim's comments and Mendes' brief quip.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 10:34pm

This is the first I have heard of the "Ghost" story, He has stated before that they discussed a Spanish translation.
Maybe he was talking to the Ghost?
It's a rather unflattering article but it goes along with the theory that He wants to be a Legend and He wants to be the Star of the Show, finally!
The comparisions to Mama Rose are interesting in that His two Babies, WEST SIDE STORY and GYPSY, both became more famous, as did Gypsy and eventually June than Mama.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 10:47pm

Yeah...I think everyone has those paranoid "spiritual" moments, Lord-who-isn't-there knows I do, but I think that it's best not to cite them out loud as an actual reason for an enormous and important decision.
Updated On: 3/16/09 at 10:47 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 11:31pm

Arthur is incapable of self-censorship.

The moment he hears that little voice in his brain saying, "Uh-oh, Arthur! Better not say that! You'll only regret it..." is the moment he says, "F**k you all! What I speak is the TRUTH! If you can't take the truth, it's YOUR problem not mine!"

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 12:12am

That's terettes (sp) Right?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 12:14am

^ *Tourette's

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 12:15am

Tourette Syndrome, asshole, and no that's not what that is.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 12:39am

It's a psychological condition vaguely related to Tourette's, but Tourette's is a neurological disorder.

Arthur's is clearly a psychological condition that combines grandiosity with lack of impulse control, classified in the DSM-IV as number 312.34: "Intermittent Explosive Disorder" or "Episodic Dyscontrol Syndrome."

What makes Arthur's bad behavior sociopathic (but not psychopathic) is that Arthur NEVER expresses any genuine regret or guilt. Whatever he ends up saying in his Intermittent Explosion, he stands behind, whether it was appropriate or not, whether it was even TRUE or not. In fact, the less true it is, the more insistent he is that it IS true: "It MUST be true...because I was the one who thought it."

Arthur will never admit he's wrong. On the rare occasions he changes his mind publicly--such as reversing his decision that Patti LuPone would NEVER play Rose In New York--he makes the change in decision WHOLLY about himself: "Yes, Patti can play the part in New York--but only if I direct her MYSELF. Because without my direction, she'd be a failure!"

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 12:43am

^ I didn't know you were a Psychoanalyst? And I'm not trying to be snarky. That's an honest question.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 1:13am

Just an educated observer.

"Taught by experts," as Peter Allen used to sing.

Updated On: 3/17/09 at 01:13 AM

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 1:23am

I was completely shocked at how sweet he was to me when I met him. After all the stories, it was heard to believe that he was the same man. The article was a great read. Methinks now I need to pick up those books. He's an... interesting character to say the least.

[A Director]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 2:38am

His plays are seldom staged anymore and none of the movies he wrote are major films that are studied. His fate is to be forever linked to Robbins, Bernstein and Sondheim.

When he finally dies, will the lights be dimmed on Broadway?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 7:58am

Not the lights in Mary Rodgers's house.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 10:15am

I had a dream last night. No cows came up to my bed, but I did dream I was in a theater, just before West Side Story was to begin.

The lights dimmed, and Gerald Freedman and Debbie Allen came out in front of the curtain and apologized to the audience, but that they had just been brought in to correct the damage the current director had done to the revival.

I wish there were more, but like a lot of my dreams, it then veered in a different direction. I'm an ADD dreamer.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 3:14pm

^ Someone, for God's sake, make this happen.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 8:05pm

Too bad there WASN'T a cow in your dream, Phil.

She could have had said, "Arthur--move over!"

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 11:57pm

Yeah...I think everyone has those paranoid "spiritual" moments, Lord-who-isn't-there knows I do, but I think that it's best not to cite them out loud as an actual reason for an enormous and important decision.

Is this jest, or is it an attack on someone's spiritual beliefs? If so, please stop being pretensious.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 1:14am

I thought that the "Robbins backing off the stage into the orchestra pit as the entire cast watched" story happened during "Fiddler"...

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 1:38am

^ The recent documentary on him said it happend during "Billion Dollar Baby."