Bette Midler in GYPSY

[Skip2]

Just watched it for the first time.

Midler is playing Rose like a Carol Burnett spoof. Wow, what a train wreck. All indicating and wide eyes.

Wouldn't even play well onstage.

[Jordan Catalano]

I would slap you silly if I could.

[Skip2]

Promise?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Peter Riegert is pretty bad in it.

[Skip2]

Really...you guys LIKE Bette Midler in this?

Almost every scene is over the top.

She was never a subtle actress...but COME ON!!!

[Overkill]

But what can you really expect with BETTE MIDLER in Gypsy?

She was my first Mamma Rose, so I've always enjoyed her performance, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I thought her eyes were going to fall out at one point... lol I DO think her performance would have worked much better for the stage, but at least we have this to watch over that Rosalind Russell train wreck.

[Playbilly]

Funny, I when it first aired I liked her a lot, but I watched it on Ovation yesterday and thought the same thing. Man, is she hammy and campy. During "Everything...Roses" there were Norma Desmond moments. She's great in "Rose's Turn" and the last scene, though.

[Overkill]

Off topic-ish, but I'd love to see her in a revival of CALL ME MADAM!

[PalJoey]

I love her performance.

[PalJoey]

I love her performance.

[PalJoey]

I love her performance.

[Jordan Catalano]

Me too.

[MrMidwest]

Sherilyn Fenn was in contention for the role of Louise.

"Actress Sherilyn Fenn, who stars in the film Fatal Instinct and is known for her work in the series Twin Peaks along with the films Boxing Helena and Three of Hearts, has studied with Joseph for at least three years at the urging of her manager, who told her to work on her voice.

'First of all, like anything, it's something you have to practice, and sometimes I get lazy. But I find when I'm really doing the work, there's just more of an ownership of who you are, of your sound, of having the psychological understanding of how people experience you and not be afraid of it,' she said.

Fenn auditioned for a role in the television remake of Gypsy starring Bette Midler. Although she didn't get the part, she credited Joseph with coaching her enough to even try singing."
Instructor Helps Stars Establish Vocal Identities

[jimmycurry01]

I love her ad Rose. She may even be my favorite.

[Jane2]

I thought Cynthia Gibb was really good as Louise.

[qolbinau]

Just Awful

[finebydesign]

I really love her in that movie.

[Skip2]

Thank you, golbinau.

Made me laugh.

And that's only TWO moments. There are about 1,490 more...

[ljay889]

I also think she's a campy and over the top mess in the film.

[Jordan Catalano]

ljay, come over here so I can slap you.

[qolbinau]

That's exactly the feeling I had after watching Bette Midler's GYPSY..

[jayinchelsea]

When I chaired an organization that honored Arthur Laurents with a lifetime achievement award, he asked that I show a number of film clips from his films to illustrate his career. The final clip was Bette's penultimate scene, where Rose and Louise have it out in the dressing room.

At the actual dinner, when the clip was over, he came to the stage, and said, "God, I'd forgotten how awful she was." The audience laughed uneasily, but that was Arthur all over.

[jewishboy]

My first Rose. I love her in it. Especially her all out vocals.

[Broadway Bob*]

Add me to the list of Bette lovers in this role. Although admittedly she was my first ever Rose, and this movie was my first ever introduction to GYPSY itself. I haven't gone back and rewatched it since seeing LuPone's Earth shattering performance so I don't know if my opinion would be different now or not.

[PalJoey]

Wouldn't you love to hear what she has to say about him?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Bette Midler can do no wrong - not ever. Just FYI.