Gypsy (1962)

Based on the Broadway hit about the life and times of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee and her aggressive stage mother, Mama Rose.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Arthur Laurents (based upon the stage play: book by), Gypsy Rose Lee (from the memoirs of)

Stars:

Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rosalind Russell	...	Rose Hovick
Natalie Wood	...	Louise Hovick
Karl Malden	...	Herbie Sommers
Paul Wallace	...	Tulsa
Betty Bruce	...	Tessie Tura
Parley Baer	...	Mr. Kringelein
Harry Shannon	...	Grandpa
Morgan Brittany	...	'Baby' June (as Suzanne Cupito)
Ann Jillian	...	'Dainty' June (as Ann Jilliann)
Diane Pace	...	'Baby' Louise
Faith Dane	...	Mazeppa
Roxanne Arlen	...	Electra
Jean Willes	...	Betty Cratchitt
George Petrie	...	George
Ben Lessy	...	Mervyn Goldstone

Storyline

Mama Rose lives to see her daughter June succeed on Broadway by way of vaudeville. When June marries and leaves, Rose turns her hope and attention to her elder, less obviously talented, daughter Louise. However, having her headlining as a stripper at Minsky's Burlesque is not what she initially has in mind.

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Plot Keywords:

burlesque | stripper | show business | based on stage musical based on book | showbiz | 

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Taglines:

The Magnificent Musical Where "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gypsy

Filming Locations:

Stage 19, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mervyn LeRoy Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

6-Track Stereo (70 mm prints) 4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Natalie Wood was very pleased her singing voice would not be dubbed, a privilege that she didn't receive when she made West Side Story (1961). Marni Nixon provided the singing voice in that project.

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Goofs

During Mama Rose's last musical number, she rips her dress on one side to expose her leg. But by the end of the number, the rip is no longer showing.

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Quotes

Louise "Gypsy Rose Lee" Hovick: [singing] Little cat, little cat, why do you look so blue? Did somebody paint you to look like that, or is it your birthday, too? Little lamb, little lamb, I wonder how old I am.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are superimposed on a closed stage curtain, below which is an orchestra and conductor, performing the film's overture. The overture has been truncated from the stage version's original overture, but is otherwise quite faithful to it.

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Alternate Versions

The song "Together, Wherever We Go", along with the second duet part of "You'll Never Get Away from Me" was cut after the film was first released and was, for the most part, forgotten (both songs feature Karl Malden). it was supposed that all prints of these songs had disinigrated (the video version even says that they are no longer available). Recently, a film collector was found who had an old print of Gypsy with these songs intact but in very poor condition. They are included on the dvd in the "bonus" section.

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Connections

Version of Gypsy (1993)

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Soundtracks

Yankee Doodle
(ca. 1755) (uncredited)
Traditional music of English origin
Included in the "Let Me Entertain You" and "Baby June and Her Newsboys" numbers

User Reviews

Yeah! Get off Roz's back!

Rosalind Russell gave Mama Rose heart and vunerability. Recreating a role for film that was done on Broadway by someone else is challenging, and Roz did it with style and class! I've heard the Ethel Merman soundtrack and all I can say is that I thank God that the producers opted to go with Ms. Russell instead. Just from listening to Ethel's version, I could hear a harshness and a brashness that would have made me hate Mama Rose; Ms. Russell's version left me with quite the opposite. Natalie Wood and Karl Malden delivered heartfelt performances as well.