Gypsy (1962)

67% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(6,079 ratings)

This Stephen Sondheim/Jules Styne/Arthur Laurents musical comedy Gypsy had been a Broadway smash with Ethel Merman in the lead. Based on the autobiography of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, it centers on the antics of Mama Rose (here played by Rosalind Russell), the Stage Mother from Hell who… More This Stephen Sondheim/Jules Styne/Arthur Laurents musical comedy Gypsy had been a Broadway smash with Ethel Merman in the lead. Based on the autobiography of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, it centers on the antics of Mama Rose (here played by Rosalind Russell), the Stage Mother from Hell who prods and pushes her daughters June and Louise into a vaudeville career. Rose pins most of her hopes for fame on older daughter June (billed as "Dainty June"), while little Louise reluctantly goes along for the ride. Karl Malden plays the girls' agent, who falls in love with Rose but is ultimately turned off by her ruthless ambition. When June escapes the act to get married, Rose puts the unwilling Louise in the star spot, but vaudeville is dying and soon the only booking they can get is in a cheap burlesque house. The strippers take Louise under their wing and advise her that "You've gotta have a gimmick" to survive on the bump-and-grind circuit. The nervous Louise rises to stardom as stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, whose "gimmick" is to adopt a self-mocking attitude and to put on pseudo-sophisticated airs. Rose resents Gypsy's rise to the top, but a bravura eight-minute musical soliloquy reveals that Rose had forced her daughters on the stage because she wanted to live out her own dreams of stardom. Louise--aka Gypsy--is played by Diane Pace as a girl and by Natalie Wood as an adult; June (better known as June Havoc) is portrayal by Suzanne Cupito (later billed as Morgan Brittany) as a little girl and Ann Jillian as an adolescent. Most of the best songs, including "Let Me Entertain You," "Small World," and "Everything's Coming Up Roses," remain intact from the original Broadway production. Gypsy was remade for television in 1993, with Bette Midler as Rose. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 2 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Mervyn LeRoy
Written By: Leonard Spigelgass
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1962 Wide
On DVD: May 2, 2000
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

Phil Hall, Film Snobbery
You'll be swell, you'll be great...not!
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Mervyn LeRoy's screen version of the popular musical is passably entertaining, due to Rosalind Russell's turn as Mama Rose, but something is missing
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A bloated musical that is far from great and more like average.
Dan Lybarger, Nitrate Online
Entertaining adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Lavish old-school movie musical.
Bob Grimm, Reno News and Review
An annoying musical.

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This is a good movie based on the real life of Gypsy Rose Lee. The actors in this movie give good performances. Plus, it gives the audience a look at vaudeville too. I liked it.
Spencer S

The best numbers of any musical, essentially thanks to the amazing performance by Rosalind Russell, even if she was dubbed.
Mark H

Rosalind Russell is a force to be reckoned with as Mama Rose in this biographical musical about the humble beginnings of her daughter, 'Gypsy Rose Lee'. Natalie Wood shines in an appealing performance as the title character, a nice counterbalance to Russell's strident… More
Rosalind Russell is a force to be reckoned with as Mama Rose in this biographical musical about the humble beginnings of her daughter, 'Gypsy Rose Lee'. Natalie Wood shines in an appealing performance as the title character, a nice counterbalance to Russell's strident display as the stage mother from hell. An eight-minute monologue at the end drags on the film's 144min running time, but overall an entertaining, lavish movie adaptation of the 1959 Stephen Sondheim / Jules Styne musical.
Jennifer X

Roz Russell is a force to be reckoned with but not the force I need for the greedy powerhouse that is Rose. There are some moments in which she shines but I admire her more than I am appalled by her. Also, she can't sing. Actually, a lot of people in this movie can't sing,… More
Roz Russell is a force to be reckoned with but not the force I need for the greedy powerhouse that is Rose. There are some moments in which she shines but I admire her more than I am appalled by her. Also, she can't sing. Actually, a lot of people in this movie can't sing, except for June. But I didn't mind it so much this time because the screen personalities shined through. I don't think anybody really got that much material to work with except Rose, and Roz could've been better...I wish I had seen Ethel Merman in this role. She was so noisy and annoying in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World I KNOW she OWNED that role. Also, Natalie Wood fleshed out her character as best as she could, better than Cynthia Gibb.
Leigh R

Fantastic. Loved Russell and Wood so much.

Cast

            Rosalind Russell as Rose Hovick

            Natalie Wood as Louise "Gypsy Rose Lee" Hovick

            Karl Malden as Herbie Sommers

            Paul Wallace as Tulsa No. 2

            Betty Bruce as Tessie Tura

            Ann Jillian as "Dainty" June

            Parley Baer as Mr. Kringelein

            Harvey Korman as Phil

            Harry Shannon as Grandpa

            Suzanne Cupito as "Baby" June

            Diane Pace as "Baby" Louise

            Faith Dane as Mazeppa

            Roxanne Arlen as Electra

            Jean Willes as Betty Cratchitt

            George Petrie as George

            Ben Lessy as Mervyn Goldstone

            Guy Raymond as Patsy

            Louis Quinn as Cigar

            Trudi Ames as Hawaiian Girl

            Jack Benny as Himself

            William Fawcett as Mr. Willis

            Teri Hope
            
            Frances Karath
            
            Danny Lockin as Yonkers

            Bert Michaels
            
            James Millhollin as Mr. Beckman

            Marni Nixon as Loise Hovick

            Jeff Parker
            
            Renee Aubry as Hollywood Blonde

            Morgan Brittany
            
See full cast

Gypsy (1962)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Spencer S

Mark H

Jennifer X

Leigh R

Cast

Trailers & Clips