Gypsy - Königin der Nacht

For years I have read that Rosalind Russell was miscast as Mama Rose in this film production of "Gypsy." I disagree. I thought she brought great humanity to this hard-boiled character. Russell proves that no person's persona is black or white, but a mixture of both. In short, her performance is excellent and very touching.

"Gypsy" is a very difficult movie to have achieved from a writer's standpoint. As is true of "Dr. Zhivago" and "The Searchers", much of the film is told from the point of view of a younger person, who serves as the viewer's alter ego within scenes while the central character does little. This book, play and film was the result of Rose Louise Hovick's biography of herself and her mother before and at the beginning of her celebrity as "Gypsy Rose Lee", burlesque icon. The film is filled with famous songs and comedy scenes, alternating with moving confrontations that for once gain by having been real ones. Among the songs are "Some People", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "All I Need is the Girl" and "You Gotta Have a Gimmick", "Small World" and more. The memorable comedic scenes involve the repetition of Dainty June and her boys coming onstage in various guises, with a two-person cow dancing behind her; the three strippers who try to teach Louise how to succeed; the children singing, "Momma Get Married"; and "Please Mr. Goldstone" in gratitude to the producer who inexplicably likes their corny act. The moving scenes are Herbie, Mama's boyfriend, trying to convince her to give up her hard-minded pursuit of show business fame, Louise realizing the girl a young boy dancer says he needs is not she; her realization just before she goes onstage at a burlesque theater at her mother's insistence that she has one talent--she is a pretty girl, etc. the songs by Jule Styne all work, but only some are classics. the direction of the film by Mervyn LeRoy is very good, economical, and only occasionally look staged the device of theatrically closing out a scene by artificially dimming the lights for me works in this fictionalized biography; we get as viewers the feeling we are seeing glimpses of an interesting life, partly because of this device. Costumes by Orry-Kelly, Howard Shoup and others, the cinematography of Harry Stradling, Sr., excellent period sets, art direction and more are major assets to this colorful but never-splashy musical success. not the last of director LeRoy's here is that we see theatrical scenes and scenes in a theater as well or better handled than in any other film I know. The actors including the three strippers, Faith Dane, Betty Bruce and Roxanne Arlen are wonderfully funny; Benny Lessy as Mr. Goldstone, Louis Quinn, Guy Raymond and Harry Shannon get all they can out of their small parts. the children who play Rose's girls are all good, particularly Ann Jillian as June. As Herbie, Karl Malden is energetic and first-rate at conveying his love and his desire for a normal life, for the children and himself. Natalie Wood is too thin-voiced to be great but she is a seasoned performer and underplays Louise intelligently. As Rose, Rosalind Russell occupies the active center of almost every scene. There is another way to play Rose other than as someone coldly obsessed with fame; I saw Giselle Mackenzie do the role onstage as a caring obsessive, one who would not be denied justice for her children as she was for herself. But Rosalind Russell is alternately brassy and wheedling, working everyone for exactly what she needs while pretending to be pushing for the sake of her daughters. She is intelligent, always interesting and frequently epic in her hunger for what has eluded her in her own performing career. And in "Rose's Turn" we see that her extraordinary charisma and courage were indeed something special. This is a show business biography of unusual believability and intelligence for all its laughter. And a memorable musical biography that works differently on film, but does work very effectively.

After seeing many productions and the remake, I have to say Roz was my favorite Rose. My biggest disappointment comes from the foolish excising of "Together" from the film.

Even though the "lost" footage is added as an extra after the film on the DVD and Video, there is a verse missing. I was told that there are no more 35 mm prints in existence of this film but, I do not have statistics or proof to back this up but, I am sure there must be a copy of this film with the entire song in tact and Karl Malden's Verse in "You'll Never Get Away From Me." I have no clear reason as to why "Together..." was cut and I would like to know why but, I am in hopes it can be found somewhere and added in another video release undamaged.-Tony

First of all let me join the throngs who feel Ethel Merman should have played Mama Rose to repeat Her legendary performance, and even the star of this movie Roz Russell was quoted as saying "Why couldn't they let Merman do it?" but after J L Warner decided Merman was not box office Roz Russell went after this part and was the first billed star. Roz got it because she could open the picture overseas as a worldwide Movie Star and because of her great success in WB's 'Auntie Mame', Warner Bros felt the magic would repeat. Just as Audrey Hepburn was unfairly maligned for doing 'My Fair Lady' instead of Julie Andrews, many critics went on a tear about Ms. Russell doing the film instead of evaluating the film on its merits. Roz Russell brings a leathery and determined force to Mama Rose and Roz knew and loved the camera and vice versa; Merman did not. Natalie Wood, the resident Queen of the Warner Bros lot, enchanting and beautiful is Gypsy Rose Lee. Ms. Wood was nothing like the real Gypsy but got the role anyway because of her stature at WB. Mervyn LeRoy who had decades of experience at Warners directs professionally. Karl Malden contributes a fine performance. The movie was filmed at Warner Bros studio in Burbank and for that I want to say while the sets look like a movie back lot-they were-it is one of the things I enjoyed of this movie. Both Ms. Russell and Ms. Wood would go on separately to a great starring decade in the 60's in other films. As did Mervyn Le Roy. A good film, not a great film, but a good film.

Although I didn't see the Ethel Merman version (wasn't born at the time!), I do have the soundtrack and prefer Roz' version. Ethel Merman warbles and maybe onstage that's just fine and dandy. But in a movie or on a record? I'm sorry. I can't take it. Maybe it would have been "fair play" for the producers to allow her to take the role to film but from what I've read, she could be difficult. Having produced plays that cost nowhere near what a major motion picture would cost, I have been driven almost to the point of homicide by difficult actors and actresses. And although you'd rather have the best actor for the part, sometimes it's better to settle for second best and leave the headache where you found it. Rosalind Russell had a reputation for being easy to work with and very professional. I'd take that any day!