Everything's Coming Up Roses In the beginning of the 30s huge success in cabaret and burlesque has achieved Gypsy Rose Lee (real name - Rose Louise Howick), which became famous for its special performance of striptease, for which she even went down in history as 'Queen of burlesque'. Then she moved to work in Hollywood and on Broadway, and at a later stage of her career she hosted a TV show.
In addition, Gypsy Rose Lee wrote several books, including the autobiography of a dancer published in 1957. On the basis of this book in 1959 on Broadway was staged the musical "Gypsy" with Ethel Merman in the role of mother Gypsy Rose Lee
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In the musical to the fore was brought not the dancer herself or her sister - actress June Havok, and her mother - Rose Evangeline Thompson-Hovic. The role of Gypsy on Broadway was played by Sandra Church. The production was a huge success and withstood 702 performances on stage.
Of course, in the wake of such success, many film studios were ready to shoot a film version of the musical. For example, the studio 20th Century Fox wanted to buy the rights to the film adaptation of the play to star in it Ethel Merman as a mother and Mitzi Gaynor as Gypsy.
But, the rights to the film adaptation were seized by another film studio - Warner Bros., the plans of which were neither Merman nor Gaynor to invite was not included - the studio needed more "cash stars". However, in the selection of actors they were right.
As a result, the role of Rose’s mother was played by the popular movie star Rosalind Russell (vocals were duplicated by Lisa Kirk except for a few numbers), which continued to act with success even in the 60s. The actress bypassed the casting for this role Judy Garland and Judy Holliday
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The role of Gypsy was played by another popular movie star - Natalie Wood (chosen for the role instead of Ann-Margret), who was again (at that time) at the peak of fame after the incredible success of films such as "Grandness in the Grass" and "West Side Story" (both - 1961). Unlike the last film, in Gypsy (1962), Wood sang in her voice.
It was with this composition that the film was released in 1962 and received positive reviews critics, enjoyed great box office success and received 3 nominations for the Oscars, 1 Golden Globe Award and 4 nominations for the same award.
The plot of the film: The beginning of the 20s of the last century. Mother Rose Howick (Rosalind Russell), despite the instructions of her father, places all her hopes on her daughter June (as a child - Morgan Brittany, adult - Anne Gillian) and wants to promote her into show business.
But tired of her mother’s eternal guardianship and tyranny, June marries and leaves her. Then Rose’s mother switches all her powers to another daughter – Louise (Natalie Wood). But Louise is not as talented as June, and vaudeville is already beginning to fade into the past, giving way to sound cinema. The question is, where do we go now? Unless, you can work as a stripper in burlesque - good, for this Louise has all the data (necessary in such work). . .
So, before us musical biography dancer stripper, showing us the main character, going from inconspicuous girl (more like a boy) to seductive girl, who can really entertain, as she sings in one of the songs of this musical.
However, the idea of making Gypsy the central face of this story is not Gypsy herself, and her mother looks at least strange - especially since during the first two hours the viewer does not quite understand her motives. But only, the very further development of events (after these two hours), which explains all the details, looks quite "boiled" and unthinkable.
The main question to be answered, in this case, is it interesting to watch the story of the ascent of the dancer, shown through the prism of complex family relationships? Maybe to some extent... yes. But, the main characters of the film do not cause much desire to empathize with them (except for the character Natalie Wood from time to time).
Acting performance, despite the plot roughness, deserves attention. Rosalind Russell perfectly embodies the image of authoritarian mother, satisfying in the desire to arrange daughters in show business exclusively their ambitions, deservedly receiving for this role Golden Globe
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Natalie Wood performs a curious transformation on the screen from a young and ugly gray mouse into a girl who realizes in front of the mirror that she is actually beautiful. The actress perfectly performs her role, although her appearance from time to time prevents the girl from looking ugly in the first half of the film. By the way, Natalie dances, it turns out, much better than could be seen in West Side Story (1961).
Among the other performers are Carl Moulden as an agent in love with Russell, Paul Wallace as one of the dancers of the troupe performing with June, and Morgan Brittany and Anne Gillian as a young and adult June.
The musical component of the film looks very bright exclusively in the song relation - from the choreographic point of view in the musical numbers of this picture, it is difficult to distinguish something other than the dance Natalie Wood and Paul Wallace, as well as 'striptease-outs' from the same Wood.
The songs in the film include "Small World", "Some People", "You'll Never Get Away from Me", "If Momma Was Married", "All I Need Is the Girl", "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn".
If you sum up, it turned out quite an interesting biographical story , dedicated to the queen of burlesque Gypsy Rose Lee. Of course, this is not the film that 'captures', 'takes into the soul' or 'touches alive', but not too fastidious fans musicals and fans of creativity Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood to get acquainted with it, definitely worth it. Thank you very much.
7 out of 10
