Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5574 in VHS
• Released on: 1999-02-16
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 150 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
This faithful broadcast TV remake of the classic Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim musical looms as a career triumph for top-lined Bette Midler--and a bittersweet measurement of how far mainstream film and TV have retreated from the glories of musical theater. By the time Midler, as the mother of all stage mothers, observes, "I was born too early and started too late," it's only too obvious that the star's words are an ironic inversion. Had Midler been born earlier, she certainly would have reigned as a major musical comedy star. In a role form-fitted to Ethel Merman's brassy persona and brassier voice, Midler more than holds her ground musically and, especially, dramatically.

Titled partly for its source, the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy alludes as well to the itinerant life of her family. The show's focal point isn't the titular character, but rather her manipulative mother, Mama Rose (Midler), who channels her own frustrated dreams of stardom into Baby June, the curly blonde daughter who always eclipses sister Louise. The story follows Rose's machinations as she tirelessly reinvents June to defy the passage of time and even puberty itself. By the time Louise herself conquers the marquee as Gypsy Rose Lee, Rose's single-minded focus has alienated her long-suffering lover and agent, Herbie (a well-cast Peter Riegert), and surrendered to the inherent compromise of burlesque.

Midler's Rose reveals glimpses of vulnerability and a delusional monstrousness that provide a dark, gritty subtext. Studded with wonderful songs, the Styne/Sondheim score underlines those themes deftly, especially in Sondheim's multileveled lyrics. This Gypsy also benefits from uniformly nifty casting: in addition to Reigert (Crossing Delancey, Local Hero), Cynthia Gibb slowly blooms as Louise, and Jennifer Rae Beck, Andrea Martin, Christine Ebersole, and erstwhile new-wave singer Rachel Sweet are delights. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

glorious return to the classic musical
This made-for-TV version of the classic Broadway show GYPSY is remarkable. It sticks primarily to what to see if you were in a theatre. The show is essentially what you would see if you were on Broadway.

Bette Midler is dynamite as Mama Rose, the ultimate stage mother. She reportedly recorded most of her songs live, without the pre-recorded vocal track. The role had been a dream of Midler's for years. She makes an indelible impression in the role.

Cynthia Gibb (THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY) plays Louise, who would blossom into the burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. She has a pleasant singing voice and charming acting style. She has been highly acclaimed for her performance here.

Peter Riegert plays Herbie, Rose's love interest. In a very under-developed and not very well-written role, Riegert tries his best. He also sings wonderfully.

In supporting roles are Jennifer Beck as June, Christine Ebersole as Tessie Tura, Anna McNeely as Elektra, Linda Hart as Mazeppa, and Jeffrey Broadhurst as Tulsa.

A glittering, lavish, explosive production that can be revisited again and again.

What the show deserves
Finally, a film version that does this classic show justice. It keeps the original book intact, along with Jerome Robbin's expert choreography, adds some smart dierection and a tour-de-force performance by Midler. Though Midler may look a little too young to play Mama Rose, she pulls off the part remarkably well. You can see her determination to make her daughters succeed and deep sadness at her own failures in songs like "Some People," "Everything's Comming Up Roses," and "Mama's Turn." The movies fine script really gives Bette something to work with in term of character development and she succeeds. The supporting cast is strong enough to stand up against Bette, which is saying a lot. The actress playing the title character really evolves throughought the show from a meek tom-boy to a successful stripper. She handles not only both ends of the spectrum, but everything in between as well. The music, of course, is wonderful, and it's giving good showing in this production. _Gypsy_ is a wonderful show, and its a good thing someone came along to preserve it the way it should be done.

A Broadway-to-film version that fires on all cylindars!
After seeing GYPSY on Broadway twice in the past year,I decided to watch both the Russell and Midler versions back to back in one evening.Not only was the Midler version far superior to the Russel one(though at moments there were glimmers in that one),but frankly I enjoyed it more than even the Peters rendition(which I enjoyed immensely) live in NYC!All three ladies mentioned are wonderful yet entirely different Madame Roses.What really clicked for me in this 1993 production was the supporting cast namely Cynthia Gibb as Louise and the ever consistently brilliant Christine Ebersole as Tessie Tura.Both performers were at the top IMO.This show is great material for super actors and this movie version,totally faithful to the original stage play( that is refreshing!)fires on all cylindars.The ride is jaunty and hilarious.Peter Riegert's timid Herbie is all the better when he finally unleashes on Rose."Finally" I said,"he got some nerve!" Bette Midler is as marvelous as she always is.She was made for this role.I would be hard pressed to find another reason to remake this show again.This was as good as it gets.BROADWAY IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME.