STREISAND wants to make GYPSY- Page 3

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 12:10pm

I swear to God. If Barbra was using a walker and needed help walking I could understand the argument that she's too old. But she looks better than most 40 year olds so shut up already about it. it's a F*UCKING MUSICAL FABLE. It's says it right there under the title.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 12:57pm

Cosmetic surgery helps; she did it once, so she could just do it again if necessary.

Of course, that sends all the wrong messages.

[Mrtrobz]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 1:18pm

Susan Sarandon could have sold this role if she was younger. Even Lady Gaga is getting too old for Louise.

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 2:04pm

my fear:

Meryl Streep as Barbra Joan Streisand in GYPSY

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 2:12pm

Why is that a fear?

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 2:28pm

It's a bad joke. Meryl is so good in everything. My friends and I joke that GYPSY is taking so long.. If only Meryl could be BARBRA and then star in it, it would get made..

[Tag]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 7:15pm

From screenwriter Richard LaGravenese:

There’s been some concern that Barbra is in her early 70s and will be playing the mother of a very young girl in the early scenes of the film. How does your script address this?

I think it’s more about her singing that score. She’s an actress and it’s a movie. When Sarah Bernhardt was in her 70s she was performing younger roles. It doesn’t matter to me. She looks fantastic, first of all. I’m not going to be watching the movie doing math. I just want to hear her do that part. I know she can do it. For those who are going to have that problem, nothing we do is going to help that. They’re going to be out to comment on that. I’d rather have her play the part and sing that score and **** the rest of it.

THIS.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 7:29pm

Sarah Bernhardt at 70 (or, say, Maude Adams at fill in the blank) is rather off-point, since they were stage stars, and the audience viewed them quite literally from across the footlights. The willing suspension of disbelief was built into the theatrical experience. Putting a camera on an actor in any role is another challenge. I don't see it as age per se, but Streisand's ability to play Rose's young desperate mother who propels herself and her children forward. She's now an elegant woman d'un age certain. She doesn't seem 70 at all, of course, a given. But she hasn't played anything like Rose's drive and desperation in a decade at least, with her only forays of late in the FOCKER movies and the weak gruel of the Seth Rosen comedy. She hasn't truly carried a film in years, and this one she'd have to carry as she carried her first three musicals and YENTL. She needs to be that particular Streisand to pull it off. So to me it's almost more about her ability to simply drive both Rose and the show for 2 1/2 hours. Even though she will only film minutes a day, the final product must look effortless somehow.

Updated On: 2/14/15 at 07:29 PM

[RWalsh1776]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 7:34pm

Isn't it pretty common knowledge that Jessie Mueller has been cast as Louise? I've read it on two boards now, and it's been mentioned on here once or twice.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 8:45pm

I agree with the doubts about Streisand's age, but I think her voice is even more problematic. Is she going to croon "Some People" and "Rose's Turn"?

Since her concert at the Village Vanguard on TV (I may have the name of the venue wrong), there is considerable doubt in my mind that she can sing the score of GYPSY in a way that represents Rose's character correctly.

[Tag]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 8:52pm

^You can fix anything in the studio.

And for all we know, she could have already recorded the score years ago.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 8:59pm

Wouldn't that be a hoot if the film came out and the tracks were from 1988 or something.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 3:50pm

being a HUGE fan of BABS I feel the only role she should play in the remake of GYPSY is as Director...if she loves the property so much then her direction of whomever they star in it would be certain to make it a dream project and one that she could use as her SWAN SONG...and wouldn't it be wonderful for BABS to possibly win her BEST DIRECTION OSCAR for her swan song?

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 4:17pm

I think Babs is gonna be perfect.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 4:28pm

Babs as Rose = Lucy as Mame. I am purchasing stock in Vaseline if this gets the green light.

[Showface]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:03pm

At first I was against this, but now, I fully support it. Like some posters said here, she is not walking with a cane, and it is a musical *fable*. And it's on film...if age is a big issue, they can use movie magic. Hey, they probably won't even have to use CGI or Vaseline, just good lighting. Do I need to reference Meryl Streep in Into the Woods. She's in her 60's and she looked considerably young in Into the Woods. In some shots, I might even venture out to say she could have been "Baby June's" mother. So, age should not be an issue. Vocally, her voice still sounds really strong (listen to her album).

As for directors, I know some people may be getting a little tired of him, but, I think this is Rob Marhsall's project. This just seems to fit in with his "style", and I think he could elevate some of Louise's later scenes to a new level and help make Rose's Turn a memorable cinematic event!

This seems like it will come to fruition at this point, they've finished a script. Rumor has it they put up many casting notices (a few months ago they were casting Tulsa and the Boys).

Let's hope this happens!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:54pm

"And for all we know, she could have already recorded the score years ago."

I can't imagine anything more deadly to the artistic process. Yes, I realize film actors often lip sync to prerecorded tracks, but syncing to 20 or 30-year-old tracks should bore even the best actor.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:55pm

LOL some of you remind me of a little kid who sees a big banana split and devours it and is sick halfway though.

This will be an unmitigated disaster if it ever happens.

[Showface]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:57pm

^I finished the banana split...I feel just fine

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:57pm

By the time Streisand has another face lift (and won't that be obvious!) and lip syncs to 20-year-old tracks, and then we smear vaseline all over the camera, why not just build an animatronic Streisand-circa-1990, and make a new attraction for Disneyland instead?

[Showface]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:59pm

I will agree with the argument that she does move her age, though, which could prove to be an issue, but when it's all set and done, I don't think people will be complaining about her age, but about the film itself, and if she sells the role.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 12:58am

Listen, let's get real for a second.

Barbra was never that amazing of an actress. She was a great movie star in a handful of roles.

She is 73 years old and frankly life has knocked the stuffing out of her, like it does to all of us. She may have had work done so that she doesn't appear to be 73, but for God's sake she has the countenance and aura of a 73 year old woman. And there is nothing at all wrong with that. Except if she's trying to play the scrappy, determined, unwise, 35-years-old-when-the-movie-begins Rose Hovick!!

It will not work and it will make Lucy as Mame seem like Julie Andrews in Sound of Music.







Updated On: 2/16/15 at 12:58 AM

[Showface]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 10:25am

Well, I will say that many of the actresses on stage did not have the "countenance" or "aura" of a 35 year old woman. "But stage is more forgiving than screen"--well movies have lighting, CGI, etc., so that should not be an issue.

As many have said before, it comes down to her performance, and none of us will know how that will turn out until the film is released. If the film is bad, nobody's life is going to be ruined. The next revival of Gypsy will happen, another film will be made eventually, etc.,etc.

[Brick]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 11:13am

The age concerns aren't likely to be resolved, and are obviously being ignored by Barbra, the studio, and even Sondheim. (Also, strange few have mentioned the digital work on Meryl in INTO THE WOODS, slyly turning her 20 years younger.)

I'm more concerned about the hubris in directing it herself. Yes, she's done it well in the past, but she also would make her character overly sympathetic to the audience. And the last thing we need is another GYPSY film. Sondheim himself didn't like the idea of her directing and said she'd only get the rights if she didn't. But based on her response - "I see every frame" - I don't think she cares, and plans to get them.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 11:17am

SIIINNNGGG OOOWWWWTTTT LOOOOEEEASE!!! Updated On: 2/16/15 at 11:17 AM