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 - Königin der Nacht

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$13,008,000

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

Rose Marie was considered to dub the vocals for Rose.

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Goofs

During 'Rose's Turn', after Rose sings, "Mamma's letting go," she puts her hands in front of her abdomen, then in the next shot, her hands are down.

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Quotes

Rose Hovick: [singing] You'll be swell, you'll be great. Gonna have the whole world on a plate! Starting here, starting now. Honey, everything's coming up roses.

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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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Connections

Referenced in Queer as Folk: The Wedding (2002)

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Soundtracks

Rose's Turn
(1959) (uncredited)
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Performed by Rosalind Russell (partially dubbed by Lisa Kirk)

User Reviews

Bravo to Russell and Wood!

Rosalind Russell, a true world-class actress, brought perfect line readings and comic timing and delivery, along with a nice patrician air, to the role of Rose, and no one has matched her -- before or since. I've seen every Mama Rose -- Merman, Peters, Midler, Lansbury, Betty Buckley, Andrea McArdle, Mary McCarty, Joanne Worley and Giselle MacKenzie -- and none of them touches Russell in the role, certainly not in the kind of nuanced humanity she brought to it. (There have been a lot of caricaturing, mugging and over-acting in this role.) And Natalie Wood is the only actress I've seen to do anything remotely three-dimensional with the underwritten role of Louise/Gypsy. Bravo to both!