Simply A Masterpiece

Best movie ever!

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Despite stellar orchestrations and a more faithful screenplay to the original Broadway production, this version of Gypsy suffers from a not-so-solid leading lady and a super cheap, dull production. On paper, Bette Midler seems ideal. She's loud, brassy, fun, can sing like an angel, and is a pretty great actress. Well, I don't know what went wrong, but Midler is terribly uneven. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments (the quieter scenes between Rose and Herbie, the songs "small World", "You'll Never Get Away From Me", and "Small World (reprise)", etc.), but all in all, she butchers her two biggest numbers ("Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn") by over telegraphing and hamming them up. During the film's finale, it's actually pretty embarrassing to see such a talented actress deliver such a wonderfully written monologue in such a one note and goofy fashion. She reads more like a cartoon than a human being. Is it Bette's fault or the directors? Apparently, the director was dying during production and wasn't able to be as present as he'd hoped, so that left Bette to essentially direct herself, which is never a good idea given the heft of her role. This leaves us with one hell of a strange, over the top, and campy performance that isn't even enjoyable on a "so bad, it's good" level. Without a solid Madame Rose to lead the cast, poor Peter Reigert and Cynthia Gibb have very little to play off of. They both have their moments as well, but they can only do so much without a strong Rose to back them up. The production values are cheap and tacky, not to mention overly colorful for a tale about parental neglect and lost dreams. It's just a huge missed opportunity. The sets and furnishing would have probably been more at home in a Tim Burton movie than a fairly realistic musical. One wishes the marvelous Tyne Daly had been able to recreate her brilliant performance in this TV version. While not possessing the strongest voice, she gave Rose more pathos than anyone else I've ever seen. It's not all bad, though. The orchestrations are lovely and brassy and the screenplay is much more faithful to the stage version than the equally disappointing 1962 movie version starring Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood. Worth a look for more forgiving Bette Midler fans.

I like the Rosalind Russell version a lot(I perhaps prefer it just a tad) and Russell in it, but this Gypsy has a lot to recommend. It is not quite on par with the musical itself(neither film version is) which is a masterpiece of character and music, but it has its spirit, heart and charm. The spirit is droll and sincere and the story has so much heart to it. The music is wonderful and the lyrics positively delight. The production values are kitsch, bright and colourful. While I prefer Malden and Wood in their respective roles in the 1962 film, Peter Reigert(though his singing leaves a lot to be desired) and Cynthia Gibb are truly charming and entertaining, and Christine Ebersole steals all her scenes. If there are any preferences I have at all over the 1962 film, it is the staging and choreography, which is less clunky and moves more effortlessly, and Bette Midler's singing, Russell's was raspy and off-key sometimes whereas Midler's is big and brassy. Midler is just superb as Mama Rose, although Russell was superb also Midler's Mama Rose is truer to what Mama Rose should be like. Overall, a fine Gypsy. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Bette Midler, Should have been given an Oscar for her role as the annoying but loverble starmum Rose, her portrayal of this larger than life character, was out of this world, to the degree of thinking she would cause herself an accident by bashing into one of the cameras, im sure she forgot they were there, also her daughter gypsy rose lee, was fantastic, and what a transformation from shy withdrawn girl, to mega confident star, it's just a shame i had never heard of this film untill i bought it 10 years after it was made.

Such a highly-anticipated remake of a cherished musical classic and such a bitter pill it was to have to take. Very, very hard to swallow...all of it. It didn't have an ounce of believability anywhere. And when you don't have a Rose, you don't have a show.Bette Midler seemed born to play this part. Yet, all she was able to produce was a cute, funny, glitzy, trademark Bette Midler...weighed down with all the familiar Midlerisms. Roz Russell has nothing to worry about. She can rest in her grave knowing she is still the definitive Mama Rose (of film, anyway).I thought Midler was really going to put it across this time...to throw herself into what is one of the greatest musical roles of all time...like she did in "The Rose." But, no, she played it safe. She played herself. She made Rose a total dinner-theatre cartoon. Even her songs were uninspired. It was maddening to watch, knowing Midler has the talent to rise above her money-making schtick. She showed promise only once in this "Gypsy" and that was with "Rose's Turn." But, by then it was too little, too late.A sincere Cynthia Gibb as the titular heroine gave the film its only true spark and when the role of Gypsy outshines that of Rose, you know there's trouble in River City.A huge, huge letdown.