Film: "Gypsy" (1962)

[Bob Pr.]

Shown in the monthly "Cinema Studies" section of KU's Endacott Society.

"Gypsy" (1962) 2 hrs, 23 min. Color. Genres: musical, biography, comedy, drama
Stars: Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden
Plot: Two young girls grow up with an over-the-top stage mother, one daughter is the stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee.
IMDB: 7.1/10 stars. Gypsy (1962) - IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 67% ripe (not rotten): Gypsy - Rotten Tomatoes
Roger Ebert: not reviewed or rated
Trailer: IMDb Video: Gypsy

This is an unusual musical film, based on the Broadway musical of the same name, with music by Sondheim & Stein (among its better known songs are: "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Let Me Entertain You"). The Broadway play was based on the memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee (the stripper/entertainer) of growing up under the strong hand of her mother (Rose Hovick) along with her younger sister (who escaped Momma's clutches much earlier to become the stage, movie, & TV star, June Havoc).

This film version often suffers in comparison to the stage version which won Best Musical award in 1960. (Ethel Merman, as Momma Rose, lost the Tony for best actress that year to Mary Martin in "The Sound of Music" but Patti LuPone, in the same role as Momma, won it in a revival years later).

Rosalind Russell's performance (Momma Rose) has been often criticized as being inferior to Merman's although Russell (IMO) delivers a very strong performance. I strongly suspect the difference is that on the stage, the characters seem more broadly and simply drawn, closer to cartoon figures, whereas in this film version, one sees more nuance and the characters were more emotionally realistic.

Russell's film Momma Rose increasingly becomes (IMO) an unlikeable character rather than one remaining brassy, funny, and larger than life. This film is far closer to the real Momma Rose (google Rose Hovick for her biography). Momma was an extremely demanding woman, maybe more than a bit psychopathic, who not only pressed both of her daughter's to earn money for her but also drove them emotionally away from her. Karl Malden as Momma Rose's put-upon lover-in-waiting does an excellent job and brings enough sympathy to his character that it adds even more fuel to disliking the Momma Rose that Russell brings to life. Natalie Wood is a very believable Gypsy.

An interesting film, both for its presentation of an era and also for its relationships. If the film had been shorter, less detailed, possibly its emotional impact would have been closer to that of the stage version. As it is, Momma's selfishness, her determination to get whatever she wants at any cost, becomes dominant and one is thankful her two daughters escaped.

[dweck]

Angela Lansbury's stage revival in London, IMHO, made for the best Mama Rose.

I always found the film a little flat. Maybe it was Russell being dubbed. Maybe it's Natalie Wood, who's very sexy but doesn't bring a lot of depth.

[Bob Pr.]

Angela Lansbury's stage revival in London, IMHO, made for the best Mama Rose. I always found the film a little flat.

From reading a bit about Momma Rose, she lied, cheated, stole, physically abused her children, and murdered. The film version of "Gypsy" captures just a smidge of the first 3 of those traits: she steals her father's gold retirement plaque because she wants money and he refused to give her any more, she cheats the supporting cast of children who dance with her 2 kids out of any money for their work, she steals all the silverware she can grab from restaurants. That makes it hard for Rosalind Russell to make the Momma she played into a fun to watch, great character.

Did Lansbury show all these cruddy qualities in her stage version of "Gypsy"?