Gypsy: Music From The Original Soundtrack Recording (1993)

If you were to ask me the name of one of the greatest musicals of all time, I would answer: "Gypsy" featuring music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents based on the memoirs of American burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee, the entire production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and produced by David Merrick.

Following an out of town tryout in Philadelphia April 1959, the legendary original production at the Broadway Theatre, New York on 21 May 1959, transferring to the Imperial Theatre 15 August 1960, before closing with a combined 207 performances and two previews on 25 March 1961. That cast included Ethel Merman as Rose, Jack Klugman as Herbie and Sandra Church as Louise. Set and lighting design were handled by Jo Mielziner, with costumes from Raoul Pène Du Bois. Sid Ramin and Robert Ginzler provided the orchestrations for Jule Styne’s classic score. Thank you Aunty Wikipedia for helping in my refresher!

A major revival premiered on the West End at the Piccadilly Theatre, London on 29 May 1973. This time directed by book writer Arthur Laurents, the production featured Angela Lansbury as Rose, Zan Charisse as Louise, Bonnie Langford as June, and more. This production was then seen at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway where it ran from 23 September 1974 to 4 January 1975. Further revivals of "Gypsy" have all become part of the legend of the American musical theatre, and all around the world. The role of the stage mother Rose Hovick has been coveted by many a talent for generations.

Further Broadway revivals include the Tyne Daly version that ran at the St. James Theatre on Broadway from 16 November 1989 to 6 January 1990, before transferring to the Marquis Theatre from 28 April to 28 July 1991, in a production once again helmed by Arthur Laurents. The Bernadette Peters version followed at the Shubert Theatre from 1 May 2003 to 30 May 2004, this time directed by Sam Mendes. The most recent mounting to have appeared in New York, and the last one in Arthur Laurents’ lifetime, was Arthur's production featuring Patti LuPone as Rose, running at the St. James Theatre from 27 March 2008 to 11 January 2009.

Most recently, one of the celebrated English productions has been the one directed by Jonathan Kent with Imelda Staunton as Rose, premiering at the Chichester Festival Theatre before a London opening at the Savoy Theatre from 15 April to 28 November 2015. Thank you Wiki and the Internet Broadway Database for this info!

What we are looking at here is one of two movie versions that have hit the screen at some point in the past sixty years.

The original version appeared in 1962 from Warner Brothers, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with Rosalind Russell as Rose, Natalie Wood as Louise, and Karl Malden as Herbie. Leonard Spigelglass authored the screenplay. Book writer Arthur Laurents was so incensed with this movie that he apparently once said in the Los Angeles Times: "Not for all the money in the world will we let them make another film version of Gypsy."

The second version appeared on 13 December 1993 as a TV broadcast on CBS, this time featuring a screenplay from Arthur Laurents. I want to underline something here that Aunty Wiki pointed out to me: Gypsy Rose Lee's son Erik Lee Preminger was involved in research on this production, and indeed he was the main source. This version was directed by Emile Ardolino, who sadly passed away from AIDS three weeks before the CBS debut. The cast featured Cynthia Gibb as Louise, Peter Riegert as Herbie, Jennifer Rae Beck as June and more... including, of course... our Divine Miss Midler in the role of Rose. It was a part Bette had always wanted to play, and which the afore-mentioned Mr. Preminger had tried to make happen ten years before, and now here she was. Here *it* was, because this is "Gypsy" starring Bette Midler!

The broadcast earned Bette a Golden Globe Award in 1994 for Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV film. This was after it received a tremendous twelve Emmy nominations. Thanks Aunty Wiki again! Atlantic Records, Bette's label since her 1972 debut, released the accompanying soundtrack. For some reason, it was somewhat less successful, reaching #175 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

My introduction to the musical *was* the Bette Midler version, followed by the original Broadway cast album on vinyl. I would say that's not a bad place to start?! While I haven’t seen the movie in a number of years, and then only once, I am very familiar with the soundtrack CD. However, I can only judge from these two versions, since I've never heard any of the other women to have played this role. So let's have a look then.

"Overture"---that staple of the golden age of the American musical and beyond! The treasured Overture!

"May we entertain you"---"Sing out, Louise!" Bette, in my approximation, is acing this already!

"Some People"---this song contains my favourite lines from both the soundtrack and original cast album: "You ain't getting 88 cents from me, Rose!" "Fine, but I'll get it! And get my kids OUT!" This is all fun and magnificent.

"Baby June and Her Newsboys"---this is one of the moments from the Baby June act that we see before sister Louise becomes Gypsy Rose Lee in the second act. I am neither here nor there about it, but it tells the story. One of these songs has an amusing bit with a Farm boy saying: "Moo, moo, moo!"

"Mr. Goldstone"---this lyric is hilarious! And Bette is perfect for this, if you've heard "Live at Last" or "Divine Madness", or better yet you've seen her live!

"Little Lamb"---this is a nice little moment from Louise.

"You'll Never Get Away from me"---Rose and Herbie's duet, which also brings to mind Bette and James Caan in the earlier soundtrack "For the Boys". I had to try and remember this one for a moment, but I did, so don't panic.

"Dainty June and Her Farm boys"---"Moo, moo, moo!"

"If Momma Was Married"---a song for the two sisters, Louise and June! If Momma was married, life might be so different for the girls. I can remember this tune clearly.

"All I Need is the Girl"---this one, from memory, has a big dance break in it which I like.

"Everything's coming up Roses"---this is it!!! One of the iconic moments from "Gypsy" which is then reprised in the ultimate showdown which I'll get to later! This is all sublime and magnificent.

"Together (Wherever we go)"---a merry little trio song from Rose, Herbie and Louise! This is another one I can remember clearly.

"You Gotta Get a Gimmick"---this is actually the first song I ever heard from "Gypsy", but not through this film. It was sung as part of "Side by Side by Sondheim" in the "Hey Mr Producer!" concert for Cameron Mackintosh in 1998. This movie is as good as any version out there.

"Let me Entertain You"---and this is the big moment for Gypsy Rose Lee! She pulls it off superbly! Cynthia does too!

"Rose's Turn"---the ultimate showdown is here! And Bette’s not only ticking all the boxes, she's creating a transcendent performance for the ages. This one moment of theatre alone has made me a fan of musicals for life.

"End Credits"---always a nice little bonus at the end!

And now I think I'm due another watch of the movie. In the meantime, that's it for the "Gypsy" review and coming up next: Bette's penultimate album for Atlantic, 1995's "Bette of Roses".

Thank you for reading,

Ryan.