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| re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 04:15 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? - bobby2 03:48 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
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| Except in Gypsy Roz's singing is largely her own - it's her, blended with a singer who helps her with the notes. But it sounds like her most of the time, as i recall, and the acting is there because it's from her own vocal performance. I mean it's always hard in a musical film when they are acting to a track they pre-recorded, so that's a problem with many film musicals and a huge challenge for any actor to both re-create what they did when they recorded the track AND to be at the place, performance-wise, when they record the songs first that they are weeks or months later when they are acting it. |
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| re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 06:50 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? - Chazwaza 04:15 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
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| Roz does very little singing in the film. She sings all of "Mr. Goldstone" (I believe she performed it live, in fact) and the first half of "Rose's Turn" until Lisa Kirk's voice kicks in for "I had a dream.." and sings the rest of the song. Lisa dubs her well, but the go-for-broke quality that defined most stage Rose's interpretations of their songs is absent . The heights that such intensity can provide are lacking in the film. Still, I have to agree that it isn't a film that deserved the terrible reputation it acquired over the years. The voice over narration, which comes, goes and never seems to be there for any purpose, is probably its biggest drawback, but even that is relatively minor. Arthur Laurents was a prickly man, by all accounts. The 1955 film version of "The Time of the Cuckoo," called "Summertime,", the 1961 film version of "West Side Story," the 1962 film and 2003 Sam Mendes revival of "Gypsy" all unleashed his wrath at one time or another. Of course it is difficult for any writer to see someone else's interpretation of his or her works, but in his case it was more than that. He needed control. He didn't do well when the control was in other people's hands, and he had nothing to do with these productions. He lacked objectivity and he couldn't bear the results. There is no need to let that stop you from enjoying any of the works I just mentioned, including the 1962 "Gypsy." |
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| re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? | |
| Posted by: AnObserver 07:56 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? - TheOtherOne 06:50 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
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| Mervyn LeRoy, who directed the movie version of Gypsy, had made some successful gangster pix at Warner Bros in the early 30s. 30 years later he had lost that exciting touch. Just before Gypsy he directed Roz in a stolid and laughable film called A Majority of One with Roz as a stereotypical Jewish mama from Brooklyn and Alec Guinness as a Japanese! So Roz trusted him on Gypsy. I think her health problems had already begun. I can see why the decision was made to combine Herbie with Uncle Jocko - it gives the male star more to do and should have tied him closer to Rose. I think the narration might have been added after a cut was shown to executives who thought points needed to be clarified. Something similar happens in the film Valley of the Dolls 5 years later. It's fun to think who might have been a better movie director on Gypsy: Charles Walters, Cukor, Donen, Robbins, etc. |
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| re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? | |
| Posted by: Jax 11:27 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? - AnObserver 07:56 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
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| Because he was Arthur Laurents. End of story. As for the film, it's much better than its reputation. Russell's performance is rock solid -- better than many who followed, dont want to start arguments here -- and you simply have to accept the dubbing, which was part of the deal back then. Wood shimmers, her strip number is still a show stopper. The whole film feels big and slow and that's because Mervyn LeRoy was Warner's go to guy for Broadway shows, Majority of One, Mary, Mary. If anything, he was too faithful. But the film preserves two good performances and some fine numbers. It's worth a watch. |
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| re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? | |
| Posted by: AnObserver 07:39 am EDT 08/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Why did Arthur Laurents hate the 1962 film of Gypsy? - Jax 11:27 am EDT 08/28/18 | |
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| More than two: Betty Bruce is a delight as Tessie, and Faith Dane. Bruce did it on stage with Merman and apparently they were buddies. | |
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