Gypsy The Movie

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 11:15am

I just finished watching the original with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood. Oye Vey- I didn't enjoy it very much. I don't care for Rosalind Russell at all. Her acting was average. She was believable, I guess, but kind of boring. And whoever sang for her I did NOT like. The songs were slow and sounded SO boring. The minute she opened her mouth to sing in "Some People", I knew all the songs were going to be the same way. The Girl who played Dainty June was so young! She was fine, though. Natalie Wood was great. She was one of the only ones cast perfectly. I enjoyed her scenes a lot. Karl Holden as Herbie was fine, but a lot o scenes or lines in the movie were not nearly as funny as they were in the show. Like Rosalind was not funny in the least. Judging by both of these performances, I think a lot of people are underrating Bernadette. She was totally amazing. I'm really looking hard for the Bette Midler version. I imagine her solos will be amazing, as opposed to the original. The "Rose's Turn" in this movie made me want to take a nap. All in all- the show was 100,000 times better than the film, as usual.

[magruder]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 11:28am

The Roz Russell movie adds a distracting narration, softens or dulls many of the lines, and makes some VERY strange choices ... like having Dainty June run off with a different newsboy instead of Tulsa, which is just bizarre.

The wonderful, late Lisa Kirk was the singing voice for Roz. You can hear her to better effect singing "Tap Your Troubles Away" and "Big Time" in the original cast recording of Mack & Mabel. And Dainty June was none other than Ann Jillian (original soubrette in Sugar Babies and one of the girls on the TV show, "It's a Living" - 'LIFE'S NOT...THE FRENCH RIVIERA, BELIEVE ME, LIFE'S NOT A CHARITY BAAAAAAALL!' ... oh, excuse me).

The Midler version is much more faithful to the stage script. I feel Midler chews up the scenery and devours everything around her, but some people really like it.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 12:26pm

There's a train of thought in Hollywood that if the songs in a film are performed in a lower key, then there won't be such a jolt when the music begins and the dialogue ends.

Miss Russell's singing was done by Broadway Legend Lisa Kirk--the original Bianca in KISS ME KATE. Normally, even Miss Kirk didn't sing in such a low key.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 12:35pm

Rosalind Russell had already been a huge star...Auntie Mame on Broadway and on film and starring on Broadway in the musical Wonderful Town, probably made her seem like a wise choice for the film of Gypsy at the time............

the year that film was released its weaknesses were only magnified by the success of the film version of The Music Man

I love the Bette Midler tv film of GYPSY. I think Ms. Midler is simply "divine" and sublime in her performance.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 12:45pm

I enjoyed the Roz Russel version. Although, like someone said, the songs were very low and slow. I have also recently seen the Bette Midler version. I couldn't find it anywhere either until I found it at Blockbuster and got a membership there so I could rent it. I actually liked the Bette Midler version better, I think. I've said before that I didn't like Bette's voice singing the songs. I'm still not crazy about it, but once I saw her act the role her vocals seemed fine. The only song that got under my skin was "Some People." That song must lose some of it's pizazz on screen.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 3:12pm

I liked the Bette Midler version MUCH better than the Roz Russell version.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:31pm

When I first saw the Roz Russell version of GYPSY (I was a kid and still going to movies at that time) I was very disappointed. My biggest disaappointment in the film was how "sanitized" it was. Geeze, those three strippers were almost nuns! And turning Electra into a Christmas tree just didn't have the snap that she had in the stage version. Of course, the singing was lame, too!

However, after seeing the film on TV after the Bette Midler fiasco, I realized that Roz Russell acted the hell out of the role. Case in point: watch Roz's face in the dialogue leading up to "Everything's Coming Up Roses", then watch Bette in that same scene. It looks as though the "Divine Miss M" is contemplating her laundry list, while Roz is full of emotion.

Of all the Roses I've seen, Angela Lansbury was the most memorable. I saw her play the role 10 times. She could do no wrong as a stage actress.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:34pm

Angela Lansury. I would have cut off a finger to see her in Gypsy. Or any stage production for that matter. And as for Bette. Well, she just camped up the part a bit...ok, a lot.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:35pm

Preston, am I to understand that you would maim yourself to see Angela in MAME?

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:38pm

Well I don't know about Mame...definitely to see Gypsy. Then again, I may maim myself to see Mame just as long as Bea Arthur was performing on that particular day.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:43pm

Oh geeze, now the kid's going to walk around looking like Pat Hingle just because he wants to see Bea Arthur. I think this is a bit extreme.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:44pm

Extreme is you and I posting in this damn message board every 10 seconds w/ comments to each other. I do believe it must end.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:48pm

Yes, we must stop...people will say we're in love.

The next thing you know you'll be throwing bouquets at me.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:52pm

Any true Gypsy fan should own the Angela Lansbury recording--it is just a joy. Oh how I wish I could have seen her. Her takes on the songs are by far my favorites.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 9:54pm

Oh Chris, you don't know how scary she was when she turned to Louise and said,"I'm gonna make you a star!" I still get goosebumps thinking about it!

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/10/03 at 10:50pm

That's True- IN the scene leading up to "Everything's Coming Up Roses", Roz Russel's face was perfect. A million emotions could have been running through her head. Her acting in this scene in particular impressed me. The same could be said, in my opinion, for Bernadette Peters, who was completely believable in that scene and as Rose in general.

Posted: 8/10/03 at 11:32pm

As a kid growing up in Key West, Florida, the movie of GYPSY spelt B-R-O-A-D-W-A-Y to me. I saw it every day for an entire week.

Even today, yes I own a copy, it has its own magic at times. I even recall seeing a re-release in which the "Together" number was spliced back into the film, only to be excised later.

Yours for an overture-filled Broadway!

[alterego]

Posted: 8/11/03 at 1:50am

I recall reading years ago that the rights to do the Bette Midler television version of Gypsy were only ok'd on the proviso that not one word of the book be changed. This was the stipulation by Arthur Laurents after the rewitten Roz Russell version had proved such a mess. From memory the Midler version has the whole book onfilm not a edited/rewritten script.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/11/03 at 2:11am

I was under the impression that the intent of the Midler version was to re-create the original production as much as possible for posterity; the original book, score and choreography. That is why I admire this production. The performances may be questionable but it is an admirable tribute to the original production.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 8/11/03 at 12:30pm

I think any true Gypsy fan should own every recording of the show. They are all so different and wonderful in their own ways.