GYPSY

US, 1962, 149 minutes, Colour.
Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden.
Directed by Mervyn Le Roy.

Gypsy is a big brassy musical, a vehicle for Rosalind Russell's talents as she portrays the mother of Gypsy Rose Lee and June Havoc. She is a dynamic woman and an overpowering mother. The film also features Natalie Wood as the young Gypsy Rose Lee and the story is based on her autobiography. The film re-creates the period of the '20s and '30s and all the razzamatazz of showbiz dreams. The film features the very popular Jule Styne score. Styne was also to write Funny Girl which highlighted Barbra Streisand. The film was directed spectacularly although not entirely successfully by Mervyn Le Roy who had been a director since the early '30s, making gangster films like Scarface, romantic films like Blossoms In The Dust and Random Harvest. Nevertheless, Gypsy is quite entertaining.

1. Was the title focus right for this film? Or was Rose the central character?

2. How enjoyable was the film as a musical, as a comedy, as a film about American theatre, as a film about America, as a film with insight into people? Which predominated for you? Why?

3. Comment on the structure of the film and its impetus towards the success of Gypsy Rose Lee. The overture at the beginning and the curtain coming down at the end; the quality of the songs, their comment on situations and people; the send-up nature of the film on vaudeville?

4. How impressive was the film as spectacle; widescreen colour, the gaudiness of vaudeville, the musical numbers?

5. How impressive was Rosalind Russell's performance as Rose? What were its main dynamic features? Was it entirely successful? The insight into Rose as a mother, her relationship to each daughter, the background of her husbands, her how and her father, her own career and her regrets and her ambitions?

6. The nature of her energy and drive and its effect on people? The importance of theatre, success, money? Her relationship to Herbie and its self-centred nature? Her domineering of the managers, creation of the act (the limitations of her imagination)? The fact that she kept June young, ignoring Louise, ruling the boys and ignoring their ambitions?

7. What drove her to success in the theatre? The impact of June's going and the sequence on the railway station? The effect of failure on her and her determination to push harder? The pushing of Louise into June's role? Her inability to understand people? Her driving Herbie away? And yet her disappointment? The final outburst at Louise's success? What kind of woman was she? How likable or repellent? Her effect on people and on her children? Are there real people like Rose? How attractive was the presentation of Louise, as the potential heroine of this film? The older but second daughter, played down as unglamorous, lacking in talent, the good nature of her support of June, the comic touch? The crushing of her ambitions, her timid attitude towards life? The impact of the burlesque situation and her rising to the occasion? The fact that she was not another June? Her response to success and its presentation, her enjoyment of success. the temptation to arrogance? Was the understanding and reconciliation sequence at the end convincing? Was there much insight into the character drawing of Louise? Why did she make such an impact as 'Gypsy Rose Lee'? How did June contrast with Louise: always kept a baby, dainty June, the nature of the act and its sentimental child appeal, June always as a child, not allowed to grow up, sharing her mother's ambitions, crushed by them? Was her running away and marrying at thirteen credible? What were the bad effects of her mother on her?

8. How attractive a character was Herbie? Our first seeing him with the kiddy show, his exasperation with mothers and the favouritism? His role as a salesman? How kind and lovable a person was he? Why did he agree to help Rose and the children? His relationship with the girls and the boys? The support that he gave and yet the humiliations? Why did he love Rose? The build-up of the almost-marriage and its effect on him? His disillusionment? Did he ever have any alternative but to leave? What insight into a man did this performance give?

9. The presentation of the boys and the effect of Rose on them, helping them and yet subjugating them to her will?

10. How enjoyable was the nostalgic presentation of American theatre, vaudeville and burlesque? The picturing of the auditions, especially the Chicago auditions and the contracts etc.?

11. How right was the film to focus on Gypsy's change and her growth to success? How did this add humour and good nature to the end of the film?

12. How important were the songs at the various junctures of the film? Rose and her initial song about 'funny the way things turn out'; her dreaming a dream. Coming up roses'; the song about Mr. Goldstone? The importance of 'You'll Never Get Away', 'The Broadway Song'? The songs that focussed on the girls; 'Let Me Entertain You', 'Little Lamb', 'If Mama Married'? The actual performance with the song of dainty June, the cow, the patriotic American theme at the end? The importance of the comment in the burlesque song about having a gimmick? Did the music add to the quality of the film?

13. How entertaining a film was it? For what audiences primarily was it made? Old fashioned enjoyment. but with emotional insight?