Gypsy (1962)
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69% of critics liked it
(13 reviews) -
76% of users liked it
(6,235 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
- Directed By
- Mervyn LeRoy
- Written By
- Leonard Spigelgass, Arthur Laurents
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Classics
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1962 Wide
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Even when it's not quite running on all cylinders, LeRoy's Gypsy is never less than cute, and sometimes, it's a good deal more. [Blu-ray]
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Phil Hall, Film Snobbery
You'll be swell, you'll be great...not!
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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
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A bloated musical that is far from great and more like average.
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Dan Lybarger, Nitrate Online
Entertaining adaptation of the Broadway musical.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Rosalind Russell
as Rose Hovick
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Natalie Wood
as Louise "Gypsy Rose Lee" Hovick
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Karl Malden
as Herbie Sommers
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Paul Wallace
as Tulsa No. 2
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Betty Bruce
as Tessie Tura
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Ann Jillian
as "Dainty" June
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Parley Baer
as Mr. Kringelein
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Harvey Korman
as Phil
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Harry Shannon
as Grandpa
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Suzanne Cupito
as "Baby" June
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Diane Pace
as "Baby" Louise
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Faith Dane
as Mazeppa
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Roxanne Arlen
as Electra
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Jean Willes
as Betty Cratchitt
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George Petrie
as George
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Ben Lessy
as Mervyn Goldstone
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Guy Raymond
as Patsy
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Louis Quinn
as Cigar
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Trudi Ames
as Hawaiian Girl
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Jack Benny
as Himself
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William Fawcett
as Mr. Willis
- Teri Hope
- Frances Karath
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Danny Lockin
as Yonkers
- Bert Michaels
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James Millhollin
as Mr. Beckman
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Marni Nixon
as Loise Hovick
- Jeff Parker
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Renee Aubry
as Hollywood Blonde
- Morgan Brittany
