As much as I would have liked to see Ethel Merman do the screen version of her last great Broadway triumph of Gypsy, no one should have any complaints about what Rosalind Russell did with the part. In fact unlike so many of her contemporaries who did a lot of junk at this period, Ms. Russell was getting some of the best roles in her career in her later years.
Gypsy is based on the early life and career of Gypsy Rose Lee, arguably the most famous stripper of all time. But the woman was propelled in her career by the stage mother to end all in the person of Rosalind Russell. Russell lives vicariously through the lives of her daughters, one of whom who later became actress June Havoc finally got out from under by running away and marrying at the age of 13.
With one daughter left played by Natalie Wood, Russell concentrates all her efforts with her. Nothing fazes this woman, not the Depression which together with talking pictures killed vaudeville and the stage stardom she believes is her due. I'm still trying to figure out why it never occurred to her to take the act to Hollywood as so many did back in the day.
With a little help from Lisa Kirk in the vocal department, Russell delivers the Merman songs in her own style in a grand manor. Mama Rose is a difficult part because it's so easy to let a domineering role like that slip into caricature. Karl Malden is fine as well as her agent who would like to settle down, but can't because Russell will brook no interference in her life's mission.
Natalie Wood is fine as the young Gypsy Rose Lee and unlike in West Side Story, she sings her own stuff, most memorably she urges us to Let Me Entertain You. Songs like Small World and Everything's Coming Up Roses are given good production numbers.
Gypsy ran from 1959 to 1961 on Broadway for 703 performances which is a hit by anyone's standards. Only one member of the original Broadway cast Paul Wallace who plays Tulsa, one of the boys doing backup with the Hovick girls made it to the screen. He gets a specialty number, All I Need Is The Girl and sad to say that Mr. Wallace was probably born 30 years too late. He would have had a great career in screen musicals.
After Call Me Madam which Ethel Merman did do for the screen as well had mediocre box office, Jack Warner wouldn't even consider using her. He wasn't thinking of posterity, just box office. Still Rosalind Russell's performance is a good one for posterity as well.
Don't miss Gypsy the next time it's on. Mama is going to see to it that you don't.
Gypsy is based on the early life and career of Gypsy Rose Lee, arguably the most famous stripper of all time. But the woman was propelled in her career by the stage mother to end all in the person of Rosalind Russell. Russell lives vicariously through the lives of her daughters, one of whom who later became actress June Havoc finally got out from under by running away and marrying at the age of 13.
With one daughter left played by Natalie Wood, Russell concentrates all her efforts with her. Nothing fazes this woman, not the Depression which together with talking pictures killed vaudeville and the stage stardom she believes is her due. I'm still trying to figure out why it never occurred to her to take the act to Hollywood as so many did back in the day.
With a little help from Lisa Kirk in the vocal department, Russell delivers the Merman songs in her own style in a grand manor. Mama Rose is a difficult part because it's so easy to let a domineering role like that slip into caricature. Karl Malden is fine as well as her agent who would like to settle down, but can't because Russell will brook no interference in her life's mission.
Natalie Wood is fine as the young Gypsy Rose Lee and unlike in West Side Story, she sings her own stuff, most memorably she urges us to Let Me Entertain You. Songs like Small World and Everything's Coming Up Roses are given good production numbers.
Gypsy ran from 1959 to 1961 on Broadway for 703 performances which is a hit by anyone's standards. Only one member of the original Broadway cast Paul Wallace who plays Tulsa, one of the boys doing backup with the Hovick girls made it to the screen. He gets a specialty number, All I Need Is The Girl and sad to say that Mr. Wallace was probably born 30 years too late. He would have had a great career in screen musicals.
After Call Me Madam which Ethel Merman did do for the screen as well had mediocre box office, Jack Warner wouldn't even consider using her. He wasn't thinking of posterity, just box office. Still Rosalind Russell's performance is a good one for posterity as well.
Don't miss Gypsy the next time it's on. Mama is going to see to it that you don't.