A Trajetória do Sucesso

I loved this production of "Gypsy" so much that when my audiocassette of the Ethel Merman production got ruined I replaced it with a CD of the Midler "Gypsy." Bette Midler has the fire to do justice to this demanding role, and her supporting cast seemed agreeable to let her shine. But the highlight of the film for me was "You Gotta Have a Gimmick." The three strip women as a group are a comic delight.

I saw Tyne Daly in the 1991 Broadway revival of this classic and timeless musical. Tyne was fantastic so I hesitated to see the television movie with Bette Midler. Every actress has interpreted Mama Rose in their own way. Bette Midler won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance. This television adaptation is faithful to the musical production. I don't recall any outdoor scenes here and that's the only flaw. Bette Midler soars in the role. Cynthia Gibb is marvelous as Louise who becomes Gypsy Rose Lee. Peter Riegert was perfect as Herbie. It has a terrific supporting cast including Tony Shaloub, Michael Jeter, Ed Asner, Christine Ebersole and Andrea Martin. The director was the late Emile Ardolino (Dirty Dancing) and this film is dedicated in his memory. Bette Midler should have played this role on Broadway as well. She is electrifying and horrifying as the ultimate stage mother. Thankfully this version of Gypsy is on DVD and will be preserved forever as the faithful version to the musical.

People will always debate if this movie was better or worse than the one with Natalie Wood. I liked both. But I think the Bob Mackie costumes in this one added to the appeal. My favorite costume is the one with the stripper that lights up. Bette is a good as Mama, but I think I liked Natalie Wood's version of Gypsy is better. I wish I could have seen the original on Broadway with Ethel Merman. I think that this movie is supposed to be closer to the Broadway one than the other movie was. If anyone has some time on their hands I would say to watch both versions of this movie back to back and compare. This version was just shown on the "Movies!" TV channel tonight (12/26/23)

Bette Midler stars in this production of the much loved musical that starred Ethel Merman on Broadway and Rosalind Russell in the film version.

Everyone knows the plot. Mama Rose (Midler) is the ultimate stage mother who pushes her two daughters onto any stage she can find. Eventually Baby June becomes a Vaudeville star with sister Louise in the background. Years later and with Vaudeville dying, June runs off, leaving Mama and Louise to fend for themselves.

After years of being a flop, they land in Burlesque and Louise reinvents herself as Gypsy Rose Lee and becomes a star stripper. But the mother never lets go, living her dreams through her kids. Baby June, by the way, went on to become June Havoc.

Midler is terrific as Mama Rose with Cynthia Gibb as the grown Louise and Peter Riegert as Herbie. The bawdy strippers played by Christine Ebersole, Linda Hart, and Anna McNeely shine in the "You Gotta Have a Gimmick" number.

There's also Edward Asner, Tony Shalhoub, Andrea Martin, Michael Jeter, and Jeffrey Broadhurst as Tulsa.

It's a show biz world that doesn't exist anymore, and this great show with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim immortalizes it with much love. The show is gritty and grimy and ballsy and a pleasure to behold. And brava to Bette Midler!

The '90s was such a wasteland for musicals--with Disney animation at least restoring some luster by way of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE LION KING etc. But live-action? Not a prayer. Yet with GYPSY, a modestly budgeted TV-movie version of the Broadway show, with a first rate cast and crew, did an exceptional job showing how such things can still happen. Midler was the necessary powerhouse as Mama Rose, and the entire cast held their own just fine. A musical shouldn't have to be bogged down with socio-political baggage to make it relevant nowadays--a production like this shows what sheer showmanship and celebration of music and dance can still be all about, albeit derived from a forty year-old source. To see a renewal of this kind of exuberant entertainment would be a wonderful thing; at least this GYPSY shows how it can still work.