Bette Midler in Gypsy

"Gypsy" deserves applause as a true television event

"Gypsy"-Bette Midler stars as Mama Rose in CBS TV movie.

Bette Midler heads cast of TV musical
by Sharon Johnson

"Television event:" it's a term used for everything from an average episode of a mediocre sitcom to the introduction of a commercial during the Super Bowl.
Occasionally a program comes along that deserves the term. Tonight's premiere of "Gypsy" on CBS is one of them.
At one level, "Gypsy" is a showcase for Bette Midler.
In the pretelevision era, Midler- who once played one of the daughters in the Broadway production of "Fiddler on the Roof"- would undoubtedly have been one of the brightest stars of the American musical theater.
With the American musical theater currently consisting of little more than imports and revivals, Midler has been earning her living as a movie star. Her recent Radio City appearance was her first live show in years.
But she couldn't resist the lure of one of the nest roles for women in a musical, "Mama Rose,the stage mother whose offspring gained fame as actress-playwright June Havoc and stripper Gypsy Rose Lee.
Ethel Merman created the role in 1959. Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly starred in major stage revivals, Rosalind Russell in the movie.
Though Daly won deserved critical raves in the most recent major revival, Midler's is the best performance in the role I've ever seen.
Part sublimely gifted performer, part force of nature, Midler takes a familiar role and makes it completely, undeniably her own.
That she's capable of the part's considerable musical demands should surprise no one. That she'd be undaunted by its dramatic demands should be obvious to anyone who has seen "The Rose" and "For the Boys".
But no actress has shown Rose's desperate need for the spotlight as vividly as Midler.
That, incidentally, is the one new twist the director brings to the production. Otherwise, "Gypsy" is not a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical but a faithful file version of a musical classic.
mom and daughter Every song, every production number is there. (Bonnie Walker has re-created the original choreography by Jerome Robbins.) Everything you'd get in a Broadway revival (except the electricity of a live performance) is there.
You lose a bit in immediacy. But you gain in the quality of the cast assembled for this production.
And Midler, who would have been just about old enough to play vivacious Baby June when the musical first opened , has brought a major American musical to a new generation in a most attractive package. (Sparkling, too, Bob Mackie designed the costumes.)
Television event? You bet it is. Midler's first movie for television is an unqualified pleasure. Think of it as a holiday gift from CBS. Be sure to accept delivery on this one.
And if you're a real fan, the complete soundtrack of the movie is now available on Atlantic records. from the first note of the overture to the medley which accompanies the final credits, it sounds great.

SYNOPSIS

The life story of burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee, from her childhood as an aspiring child star with a domineering stage mother named Rose. Rose attempts to push her daughters-June and Louise-onto the vaudeville stage, even as vaudeville is dying and movies are taking over the theaters. She enlists the help of Herbie, a former agent, who helps Rose because he loves her. Slowly but surely. Rose alienates everyone in her life. They all leave her . . . except Louise,who becomes an unexpected success as a stripper--Gypsy Rose Lee, the Queen of Burlesque.

Midler Takes Her Turn In Mama Rose's Spot
By John J. O'Connor
Everything's coming up roses? As far as Bette Midler is concerned, absolutely. An extensive concert tour, "Experience the Divine", has reaped rave reviews and lively ticket sales. She won an Emmy Award for singing to Johnny Carson on his next-to-last "Tonight Show" appearance. And now looks like a shoo-in for another Emmy for her performance as mama Rose in CABS splendid recreation of the 1959
Broadway musical, "Gypsy". The special three-hour broadcast, Sunday at 8 p.m., perfectly defines the concept of event television.
The first Mama Rose was Ethel Merman, using her last appearance in a Broadway show to crown a legendary career with her most memorable performance. In the process, she bequeathed a fearsome hurdle to all subsequent productions. A movie version of "Gypsy", starring Rosalind Russell, never stood a chance. Some stage productions, most notably those starring Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly, held their own admirably. But the special Merman imprint lingered as a kind of theatrical Everest that would never be scaled in quite the same way again. Until now.

Miss Midler appears to have been made for this role of primal stage mother. Rose is a monster, pure and simple, trying to realize her own frustrated ambitions through the incessant pushing and manipulating of her daughters, June and Lousie. In pursuit of her dream, a rather puny fantasy of vaudeville stardom, Rose is shameless, lying, scheming, swiping the silverware from restaurants, sneaking Chinese food into cheap hotel rooms. Ordinary life may be peachy for some people, some humdrum people, but not Rose, she warns in one song.
The woman is anything but lovable. But it is the genius of Arthur Laurent's book, Julie Styne's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics that her sheer energy and determination can leave audiences in a state approaching awe. Bette

From the moment she storms into a Seattle audition for child performers shouting, "Sing out, Louise's, sing out!", Miss Midler's Rose exudes enough brass to satisfy the most demanding of Merman's fans. This Rose can toss off wisecracks with finesse and belt a lyric into the rafters.
She also reveals a more complex side of herself in the show's quieter moments, more of the sad woman who has been rejected by three husbands and even by her own parents. By the time she gets to "Rose's Turn", the show's powerfully bitter finale, Miss Midler has made Rose her very own. the audience can't help but agree with Louise, now a star as Gypsy Rose Lee, when she tells Mama, "You really would've been something."

Clearly directed with love by the late Emile Ardolino (Dirty Dancing", "George Balanchine's 'The Nutcracker'"), the lavish production is painstaking, from Bonnie Walker's re-creations of Jerome Ronbbin's original choreography to Bob Mackie's snazzy costumes. the supporting cast is strong, from major roles (Peter Riegert as Herbie the manager, Cynthia Gibb as Louise, Jennifer Back as Dainty June, and Christine Ebersole as the stripper Tessie Tura) to choice cameos (Edward Asner as Rose's father, Michael Jeter as Mr. Goldstone, Andrea martin as a show business secretary.
In the end, Rose just wants to be noticed, Miss Midler makes sure of that in the performance of her career.
So far.

"Gypsy Rose Lee, rose from childhood stardom to a dominatrix of Burlesque. A hardened and domineering stage Mother named Rose, pushed her two daughter's June and Louise right smack into the vaudeville stage. A lost and dying art of show business, with movies taking over the show business world.
As time went by Rose alienates everyone in her life, everyone leaving her except her daughter Louise who struck out on her own to become a successful stripper, known as Gypsy Rose Lee, The Queen of Burlesque. "Rick Kogan", Chicago Tribune, states the stage hit that had previously starred Ethel Merman and later in 1962 Rosiland Russell, showed Bette Midler's presence so successful that her work as the artist of her Calliber redefined and deepened the character for TV's look at the film. Her lavish singing voice, brought out the excellence of her supporting cast. "Mike Duffy" Detroit Free Press states the three hour Midler tour de force based on the famed Broadway musical, shimmer's and soar's with vintage pizzazz. If ever there was a harmonic convergence of star and role, it is here! Bette Midler was born to play Momma Rose, the obsessed stage Mother at the bittersweet heart of Gypsy. Mike Duffy closes his review with "Bette's" performance as Rose in Gypsy was dazzilng. In the theater of musical arts, Gypsy is one of the greatest shows ever created. Bette had always dreamed of playing the Rose and singing the classic songs and her dream came true!"
Laura

"Bette Midler is the compelling portrait of a woman who has fought for everything she has gained, but refused to stop at any one point along the way."
Ace Collins

"Bette Midler has worked her way to the top by mastering everything she has attempted - She is show business personified."
- Ace Collins

"Some Peoples Lives- Bette touched my life because I could relate to her childhood. I barely knew my dad and she was very distant from hers. The fact that she pulled herself up from the poor family she came from gave me hope that things could get beter in my life as well. And they have. After 11 years, my dad has finally contacted us and we've got our lines of communication open. Now I'm just hoping that he's grown up enought to stick to his promises instead of leaving us with our bags packed on the front porch till midnight wondering why he hasnt shown up yet. So I say the 2 songs that have given me the most inspiration are 'Stay With Me' and 'The Last Time' cuz that how I've felt my whole life. Her music and movies really got me through some tough times."
- Theresa