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:

1920s | burlesque | stripper | show business | 1930s | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Among the details omitted from the musical was the fact that Gypsy Rose Lee had her teeth straightened by a dentist who was "owned" by a gangster named Waxey Gordon. The surgery may have improved her career prospects.

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Goofs

During the birthday party scene, when the landlord comes in the shadow of a boom mike is visible on the wall.

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Quotes

Louise "Gypsy Rose Lee" Hovick: [singing] Let me entertain you, Let me make you smile, Let me do a few tricks, Some old and then some new tricks, I'm very versatile, And if you're real good, I'll make you feel good, I want your spirits to climb, So let me entertain you, And we'll have a real good time; Yes, sir!, We'll have a real good time.

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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

References The Gold Diggers (1923)

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Soundtracks

Little Lamb
(1959) (uncredited)
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Performed by Natalie Wood

User Reviews

Gypsy is tops

I never saw Gypsy on Broadway, but I thought the movie version was great! I feel Roz Russell was NOT miscast as Rose and she gave a very funny, convincing performance.

Natalie Wood was perfect in the role of Gypsy Rose Lee and who could have been sweeter in the role? Incidently, Natalie does her own singing in this movie and Roz Russell's voice is dubbed in parts.

By the way, Marnie Nixon dubbed Natalie's voice in West Side Story, but can you think of anyone else who could have played Maria with such breathtaking magic? There is a reason why film directors like Robert Wise cast someone like Natalie Wood in musicals. She may not be a "professional" dancer or singer, but she brings something else to the picture... a larger-than-life screen presence that makes the audience care about what happens to her. Many talented Broadway performers are passed up for this very reason. They just don't have that certain screen presence that is going to sell tickets. That's life!

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