Bette Midler in GYPSY- Page 2

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 7/16/12 at 11:20pm

Bette Midler can do no wrong - not ever. Just FYI.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/16/12 at 11:30pm

She's potentially spot-on, as close to the core as Merman. Yet it's missed by a mile, the take on the role a serious miscalculation in just about every area but vocal (size, a sit-comedic edge, even the costuming is excessively fussy and TV sketch). I blame the all-too-reverential-handling-of-a-star direction (no, it's not "The divine Miss Rose"), which left this gifted triple-threat actress-singer to flounder, to recycle inappropriate shtick rather than freshly explore, to give a performance seemingly pitched to the last row of Radio City, not the camera. I find it painful, not because she's so wrong, but because of what might've been.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/16/12 at 11:39pm

If it could have been it would have been.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/16/12 at 11:52pm

She's better than Bernadette was.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/16/12 at 11:56pm

A-MUTHA-FVCKIN'-MEN to that!

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 1:34am

This is one of those films and performances that should have been brilliant, but it just wasn't. I adore Bette in pretty much everything else and I will admit that she handles some of her comic and more touching/romantic scenes quite well ("Small World", "You'll Never Get Away From Me", and the scenes where she's backstage miming June's routine and her reaction to the "Sometimes, it's their father" line), but she drops the ball on her big dramatic scenes and numbers. "Rose's Turn" has never been less moving or campy. It's like a bad drag performance. She sang most of the score well enough, though.

The movie itself was pretty cheap looking, too.

It's still nice to have a version that's faithful to the stage version. I'll never understand all the random changes they made in their 60's version. Why is Herbie Uncle Jocko? Was does "Small World" come before "Some People?" Why the hell does Rose narrate the whole movie?

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 9:26am

Well, as for cheap-looking, it was a TV movie.

[bryan2]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 9:45am

What I will never understand is why they filmed this movie shortly after Tyne Daly blew the critics away . I always thought that it was a missed opportunity for everyone to see this Tony Award performance, considering Tyne was a HUGE multiple Emmy winning TV star is seemed like it would have been a better idea.....instead we get Bette acting like she is in Ruthless People as Rose... I love Bette but not in this at all she was horid.

[figaroindy]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 9:50am

While I agree Bette is over the top, she still sings it well. As for why to not use Daly - the opposite is true, she's under pitch in everything she ever did...for long stretches of time...every note longer than a quarter is saggy and flat...Call Me Madam (woof), Gypsy (woof, woof), etc.

[bryan2]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:08am

Tyne Daly on stage was amazing..her recording did not do her any justice as she was sick during the recording..unless you saw her you cant imagine how much she owned the role and the stage...I have seen Betty-good/Bernadette-bad/Patti-screaming and none were even close to how good Tyne Daly was -as good as everyone said Patti was she was just a brassy bulldozer and had no warmth at all that is needed...plus she is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE ACTRESS...

[PattiLover]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:34am

I have been a Bette fan all my life. I have all her recordings, plus bootlegs. I love her in nearly everything, except Gypsy. From what I've read, she did great work in rehearsals, but when it came time to film, she was Bette doing Clams on the Half Shell again. Maybe it's Laurents' fault for not controlling her. Maybe it's just Bette. She's not simply bad, she's infuriating because you know when you watch the movie she could have been one of the great Mama Roses. A missed opportunity. She got the showbiz side of it, but forgot about the nuance of the book. It's too much. I'd rather watch the Rosalind Russell version.

Bette should come back to Broadway though, maybe in Call Me Madam. Sure the book is creaky and jokes are out of date, but the score is one of Berlin's best, and it's not the first time a B- show has been revived for a big star. I've heard her sing Hostess with the Mostess and she's really suited for it.

[PattiLover]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:36am

"as good as everyone said Patti was she was just a brassy bulldozer and had no warmth at all that is needed...plus she is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE ACTRESS..."

What are you, 12? That's a bit extreme. If she's such a horrible, horrible actress why is she constantly working? You know, you could just say "I'm not a fan" instead of making blanket comments. I'm assuming you're a failed actor?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:41am

On paper, Bette Midler seemed like ideal casting when it came to Gypsy. Count me in the disappointed camp. The televised version came off somewhat flat, and Bette was just way too over the top.

The Tyne Daly revival was my first introduction to the show, and to this day, she and that production remains my favorite.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:45am

I've three stage productions of GYPSY (Daly, Peters, LuPone) as well as the two film versions.

Favorite Mama Rose: LuPone

Favorite Louise: Crista Moore (stage), Natalie Wood (film)

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 10:53am

I've three stage productions of GYPSY (Daly, Peters, LuPone) as well as the two film versions.

Favorite Mama Rose: LuPone

Favorite Louise: Crista Moore (stage), Natalie Wood (film)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 11:23am

Maybe it's Laurents' fault for not controlling her. Maybe it's just Bette.

I'm all for blaming Arthur Laurents for things he's done, but Arthur had nothing to do with the direction of the television production.

The very, very sad truth is that it was 1993, and the beloved and talented director of the TV version, Emile Ardolino, who had reinvigorated the movie musical with his direction of Dirty Dancing, was dying of complications due to AIDS while the production was happening.

Many people who knew him and loved him wondered how much better it would have been had he not been as sick as he was during it.

Emile did not live to see the movie. He died on November 20th. Gypsy aired on CBS on December 12th.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 11:36am

Excellent points.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 11:47am

I loved the TV version of GYPSY...it was a ratings BLOCKBUSTER and re-invigorated the movie musical via television screens. CINDERELLA, BYE BYE BIRDIE, ANNIE, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and THE MUSIC MAN followed in rapid succession because of it.

Updated On: 7/17/12 at 11:47 AM

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 11:57am

With a more present director, perhaps Bette would have been better. She had SO much potential to knock the role out of the park.

I do recall listening to the commentary on the DVD and hearing that they shot two different versions of many of Bette's big scenes. One would be a smaller, more intimate version and the other would be big and over the top. After seeing the finished film, I'm hoping they used all of the second takes, otherwise, I'd be terrified to see Bette get any campier than what wound up on the screen.

Still, it gives me hope that, maybe, the editor and producers were the ones that screwed up. Usually, you don't two completely different versions of scenes unless you have no idea what you want.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:02pm

Tyne Daly always plays a lesbian truck driver - it's her one character. Her Detective Lacey was a lesbian truck driver, her Rose was a lesbian truck driver, her Callas was a lesbian truck driver...

If you enjoy lesbian truck drivers, you'll enjoy Daly.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:20pm

I AM BIG - IT'S TV THAT GOT SMALL

Note Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss as Baby Louise.

And Peter Riegert and Bette used to live together. I wonder what went on during the shoot?

[finebydesign]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:29pm

I re-watched this recently on Netflix streaming I think and I was once again enthralled by Midler.

My only problems with the film are the supporting cast. I really feel like if you're gonna put a star like that in something like this everyone else needs to beam. The GLR actor was so boring. I remember watching Natile Wood's performance and enjoying it. She had "it" which is what this story is all about.

Bette is perfect for this role. I have a feeling had the budget been bigger this could have been an Oscar-worthy film.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:36pm

I have a feeling had the budget been bigger this could have been an Oscar-worthy film.

TV films aren't eligible for Oscars. Midler was nominated for an Emmy for her performance.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:49pm

I'm aware, I should have said bigger budget and theatrical release.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/17/12 at 12:54pm

I saw Tyne Daly in Gypsy on Broadway. If you wanted a croaking barrel as Rose, then Tyne would have been the choice. Danny Devito would have been the only logical choice for Herbie though.