Sunday 9 January 2011

Keep 'em begging for more - (Film News - 08/01/11)

I almost didn't bother today. After porig through the minutia of news stories I simply could only find one article that in any way appealled, in fact I almost decided to drop the news this week and stuff it into next weeks batch (although I've made that mistake before) but then it occurred to me this is not something that can wait and it certainly shouldn't be sharing billing with any other movie.

Gypsy

Barbra Streisand (pictured below in 1962, around the time the original film is released) is planning to star, and potentially direct, in a new big screen version of the classic Jule Styne musical. Described by critics as the greatest American musical it's essentially the biographer of dancer/singer Gypsy Rose Lee and the complicated relationship with her pushy stage mother Rose, as well as detailing the hardships of show business in the dying days of vaudeville.



With the current vogue for Burlesque (even though the movie of that name flopped) it seems like a perfect time to remake a movie - it's been nearly 50 years since Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood immortalised the roles on screen, and few could argue with the potential for Barbra knocking out "Everything's coming up Roses". In fact the role of Rose could be an interesting part for the notoriously tough Barbra one that would play on her image.

Andrew at Encore Entertainment has written a very nice piece about Barbra's directorial talents focussing on Prince of Tides which can be read here.

Finally have a listen to Ethel Merman knocking it out of the park from the original Broadway recording:

4 comments:

TomS said...

Ben, I also enjoyed Andrew's piece on "Encore...".

I can't think of a better property for Barbra's screen musical return than "Gypsy". I don't know if it is the greatest American musical, but Mama Rose is certainly among the greatest roles in American musicals.

This will be something to watch for....

(Any idea when this is slated?)

Runs Like A Gay said...

It's extremely early days so Iwouldn't expct it until late 2012 if indeed it actually gets made.

Alex Constantin said...

I don't see this getting made. Just like the Sunset Blvd. thing with Glenn Close, unfortunately didn't happen (and that actually WOULD have been something, at least a great TV production for HBO to pick).

of Gypsy we've seen one too much if you'd ask me. She might be in control of the music, but how could she reach Rosalind's comedic acting?! [imo, from the clips I've seen online, Bette Midler kind of failed doing justice to the role]

Runs Like A Gay said...

I think you're doing Bab's an injustice. Remember she started off as a comic actress.