UPFRONTS 2013: The Overachievers 
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While a litany of trade reports over the weekend pronounced dead a movie adaptation of Gypsy that was to star Barbra Streisand, I’m told don’t dress for the funeral just yet. The project is very much alive. In fact, a deal is close to being made at Universal Pictures, with Joel Silver producing. Streisand’s still in as Rose and so are book writer Arthur Laurents and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Those reports were based on an interview that Laurents did with a Hartford Courant blogger, in which the book writer proclaimed he was withdrawing permission because he and Sondheim decided they didn’t want a movie. I think they’ve changed their minds. Multiple sources said that the deal that’s closing gives the show creators a strong say over the screenwriter, director, choreographer and who’ll play the roles of Herbie and Louise. Warner Bros retains the rights to be co-financier after it rejected a deal that would have granted those same approvals to heirs. In the same article, Laurents is also quoted as saying that The King’s Speech helmer Tom Hooper was keen to direct, but I’m told that isn’t in the cards, either. Babs also won’t direct. Is this important? Well, some of the sites that picked up the story are surmising that that gays will be throwing themselves out windows because they won’t get to see Streisand in the iconic Gypsy. That’s silly. Of greater concern to me is the slippery slope that has been created on the web, and the willingness of outlets to accept any and every piece of reportage as fact without taking the time to verify.
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Universal will scramble for another 24 monts, and then Comcast will disposeAdam Fogelson and his team.
I cannot blame Adam for reaching for straws, but I doubt he can save his job.
The hand writing has been on the wall the moment Comcast closed the deal combined with Universal’s continuing fall. Adam did not cause this…he inherited it. Unfortunately, since that time, Adam has not done much of anything either to make good movies at the studio.
The clock is ticking, but I for one think this idea is terrible with or without Streisand.
The world does not want nor will embrace “Gypsy”…again.
Wow…the world doesn’t want another version of Gypsy? Who hired you as a spokesperson? I’m THRILLED at whatever project Barbra is going to do!
The comment is speculating that the world is not particularly interested in another “Gypsy”, but now that you mention it…I doubt that your Barbra will stimulate huge interest either other than with the exception of you and not enough others to make this a worthwhile investment…and, most probably, whether profitable or not…a worthwhile film effort.
You’re dead wrong. Millions of her fans are excited beyond belief. The score is great and Barbra will be magnificent.
You should be a studio head. With your ability to speak for the entire world you must have a talent for green lighting the correct films. And you obviously, by your comments, have the narcissistic streak that such a job would require. Speaking for the entire world! Bravo for you sir. But thankfully, whatever world you speak for, I’m not part of.
What? The world does not want another Gypsy? With Streisand? C’mon!!! Sure, Rosiland Russell hit it out of the park, but if anyone could pull that role off again it would be Babs. They NEED to get someone who can do Natalie Woods role. THAT will be tough.
Russell hit it out of the park? That Mervyn LeRoy disaster was widely discredited by its oriiginal creators as inhbiting the viability of even stage productions of the piece for year. Yeah, Russell was certainly a double threat in that: couldn’t sing, couldn’t dance. Midler did better in the t.v. film. Garland might have been an interesting choice in – what was it – ’63?
Did they see “Burlesque”?
Did you? Burlesque is a GREAT movie.
It was a private screening and the audience loved it because they were involved in it. The general public not so much.
I’m as big a fan of Babs as any, but she’s just too old. The mother of a child/teen should not be played by a 70-year-old woman (which she will be by the time filming begins).
Lucille Ball in MAME! More Vaseline on that lens, please.
As a matter of fact, Barbra’s “Gypsy” actually hinges on Lucy’s “Mame” lens’s availability. The “Mame” lens is currently in talks to shoot Nicole Kidman in “Stoker.” If that deal goes through, the lens won’t be available until late 2013.
I wa a trainee at WMA and heard the brilliant head of the NY theatre Dept , Peter Franklin (laurents agent) talk very eloquently about how rose should be 30 in act 1 and near 35 in act 2. Brilliant and historical facts from his mouths, yet he was fired in the great endeavor merger- proof that intelligence was not valued in the new company
She doesn’t look anywhere near 70. Besides, the real mama Rose DID look 70 and she was much younger! Barbra will be great.
Did you see her in the two Fockers movies? She looks decades younger than her chronological age and without vaseline on the lens! The age she looks is what we’ll be seeing on the screen, not a neon sign flashing the number 70 on her forehead. DON’T DO THE MATH!
…or they could put a ton of petroleum jelly on the lens when they shoot Babs. A better idea is to have Babs actually play Gypsy as a 70 year old looking back on her life. Here come the casting calls for a young Babs! Girls, don’t get those nose jobs just yet!
Almost EVERYDAY someone stops me to tell me how much I look like Barb. This has been going on since I was 15 and I am now 23. At the age of 15 I looked up pictures to see who this Barbra Streisand was and it was truly remarkable how much we look alike, ESP the younger days. It used to bother me but I am so used to I have learned to love it! I agree with your idea, I am ready for the auditions
Gramma’s talkin’ loud.
Gramma’s doin’ fine.
Gramma’s gettin’ hot.
Gramma’s goin’ stong.
Gramma’s movin’ on.
Gramma’s all alone.
Gramma’s doesn’t care.
Gramma’s lettin’ loose.
Gramma’s got the stuff.
Gramma’s lettin’ go….
@anotherwgamember: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Best. Blog. Comment. Ever.
Agree with Aaron007 a million percent. Absolutely brilliant. Can’t stop laughing.
Idiot.
Hilarious! Love Babbs but I too think she’s too old for the role. The flahsback idea is a good one!
Since 1962, there’s been a film version of GYPSY starring Rosalind Russell, who was 55 years old when she made the movie musical (and, frankly, looked 60). Streisand’s age will be just fine.
It’s just all wrong and an open invitation for every movie critic to take a shot at Babs, who is one of the greatest singers of all times but not a great dramatic actress. Seriously, she isn’t up to playing the part that should be played by a woman twenty-five years younger.
Barbra Streisand is seventy years old. No amount of makeup is going to hide the fact that she is decades too old to have even HAD children.
This is just loopy thinking. Where is the audience? Catherine Zeta Jones could play the part – and she’s the right age – AND she still does musicals, but seventy year-old Barbra Streisand?
You don’t need to be Nikki to come up with choice, wicked comments that will be in every newspaper when this film opens.
She’s actually a great dramatic actress. It’s just many people don’t realize it because her comedies have been much bigger, with the exception of “A Star Is Born” (great dramatic acting). Even her “Prince of Tides” character showed incredible depth of emotion. Her role in “NUTS” was hailed by critics. They LOVED her performance and there was even Oscar buzz at that time. Due to the dark nature of the story (incest), it didn’t do well at the Box Office (it didn’t lose money though), but MANY critics and fans alike think it was her best dramatic acting ever.
Oh, and did you ever see “Funny Girl”? Really. She can’t act dramatically? She won the Best Actress Oscar (at that time, the youngest ever to win). She didn’t win it only for her comedy. Her dramatic acting in that role as Fanny was spectacular. When Nick misses her opening night and comes home? That scene is amazing. I still can’t believe she was SO young and was able to act like that, with little training. Yentl, Up The Sandbox…almost all of her films have had moving, dramatic scenes for her characters. She’s a great dramatic actress.
I work in the industry. People stop dead in their tracks when Barbra enters a room. It really is a sight to behold. She’s in a class by herself and always will be. That’s why Gypsy will be a massive hit. No one else can do justice to this role like Barbra can. She’s personally connected to the role and that’s all it takes for her to pull an incredible performance from herself. Also, I heard from a reliable source, she’s already recorded the entire score for Gypsy and will lip-sync for filming (everyone does that by the way), so the voice won’t be an issue at all. I can’t wait for this to be filmed and released. Many of you will eat your words. So many people say musicals don’t do well, but believe me this will be different. Barbra’s first major musical since Hello Dolly. It will come on the heels of a great mainstream comedy release with Rogen and every Glee and Focker fan will probably turn out to see it. “Gypsy” with Barbra as ‘Rose’, will be HUGE, no matter who else is cast.
This could be an opportunity to see one of the living legends of our time playing one of the iconic musical comedy roles of our time. I don’t get the negativity…it will be a memorable collaboration, well worth any risk.
Exactly. And the whole age issue? Sorry, she doesn’t look a day over 50 in person. And that’s WITHOUT the magic of film makeup. I will laugh my butt off when Gypsy releases and becomes a massive hit. People are too negative in general, but especially when it comes to Barbra. Sad.
Her age is not as big as issue as her voice. Some of those Gypsy songs challenge diction and the pipes, and hers haven’t been in top form for years. If she tones them down a la Bernadette Peters or talks her way through them, her fans are going to be disappointed. With lots of rests between vocal takes and lots of electronic vocal tweaking she might get away with it, but this role was something she should have played one or two decades ago. Even her speaking voice has been affected by time. It would be quite a triumph, given the odds against it, if she could off a truly classic Gypsy.
Well, if she’s as good as Peters was in the role, by using acting rather than voice alone, then I think it could work out just fine.
Her voice is just fine, only different. It is deeper, richer, and even more expressive. What’s with you people?!
I work in LA and heard she already recorded the score a while ago. I hope that’s true, but honestly having just heard her sing live in Feb. of this year, 2 days before the Grammys, she’s still in REALLY great voice. Her power is still amazing, so if what I heard is wrong and she hasn’t recorded the score, she’ll be able to do it, no problem.
Give the movie makers some credit. Obviously the script will be tweaked to accommodate Streisand’s casting. June and Louise can start as teens for instance. As for Gypsy being relevant, well, we still produce Hamlet don’t we? This is not just any Broadway show, it is one of the all time greats, as is Streisand. The combination should be electric. I’m glad this looks like a go again.
Start as teens? Gypsy Rose Lee was stripping barely legally. That would be the greatest and most shocking perversion of story and concept to suit a star in years.
I agree that Streisand is too old. Even though Patti Lupone is 62 she would make a much better Rose.
Lupone isn’t beloved enough. Barbra is.
Musicals are a crapshoot plain and simple. Nobody knows how it’ll play. Chicago did big business in 2002 when everyone thought musicals were dead. Dreamgirls does well 4 years later. And then Nine crashes and burns 3 years after that and Burlesque doesn’t do much better the next year. So who knows what could happen. I still believe that Lea Michele ends up as the daughter, IF this does come together.
It’s not about being a musical, but about its story and quality.
Many people around the world have waited for another big Streisand musical. Period. Her name alone will pull in massive crowds, especially in all of Europe.
Chicago, Dreamgirls, Nine and Burlesque have no bearing on this at all, because none of them starred Barbra. She is in a class by herself (and has proven that) and Gypsy will be in a class by itself.
I think most people are missing the point.
It’s not Streisand’s age that’s the problem, nor her vocal skills [which are, to be honest, as diminished with age as anyone's would be]. Instead, the problem is the actual role at hand — Mama Rose is not some madcap singing-and-dancing character who’s a charmer. Instead, she’s a larger-than-life monster, and Streisand has ALWAYS played sympathetic characters. Even when she played a hooker accused of murder, the character was sympathetic.
Even in her other dramatic roles, like in “Yentl” and “The Way We Were,” Streisand was good at non-comedic acting, but it was a fairly tamed-down approach to drama [I'm tempted to write a "quiet" approach]. Mama Rose manipulates people, is always loud and domineering, and has a nervous breakdown in the song “Rose’s Turn.” Granted, I would love to see Streisand rise to the challenge and really chew the scenery, but I have serious doubts that she could pull this off effectively.
Bottom line: It would be great if she DID succeed in the role, but it would likewise be a sad and terrible end to her career if she failed to be effective.
Great post with good points. I think she’ll put her own spin on Rose to an extent. But also, I think the success of Gypsy will lie heavily on choice of Director. The right director will be able to pull a GREAT performance from Barbra. I’ve heard Spielberg is the top choice and I hope he’s it. She has an immense amount of respect for him and she’ll trust him. Amazing combination that would be. Now with the right DP (Vitt would be great), Gypsy will be off and running.
“I had dream and the cow said, MOOOve over Rose” I’m a big queen and a big fan of the music and the show, and even I don’t think this is a good fit. In the theatre it is easier to cheat on the age of the actress and the character a bit, film not so very easy. Since the bulk of the second half of the film is all about Rose Louise’s transformation in to “GYPSY”, more thought needs to go into casting the her part than “Mama”. Way more fun to speculate because any older actress that can belt a song and act pushy can do “Mama Rose”. Look at the list, Ethel Merman, Roslind Russell, Bernadette Peters, Lani Kazzan, Tyne Dailey, Bette Middler. Liza will die regretting never getting to do the full role of “Mama”.
It is my great regret in life I have not yet managed to work Gypsy Rose Lee’s line into conversation, “Mother, we’re still stuck with the wind machine you bought to BLOW my clothes off”. good stuff. good stuff.
You call yourself a queen and a big fan of GYPSY, and you leave out Angela Lansbury from your list of Roses?! Not to mention PattiLu. Harrumph. Your claim that “any older actress that can belt a song and act pushy can do “Mama Rose”” shows a lack of understanding as well. But you’re right about the importance of casting Louise (put me in the no-to-Lea camp, with a sincere wish to be proven wrong). And it sure would’ve been nice to see Liza play Rose, back when she could’ve. Mind-blowing to think about HER mama playing that part. Maybe someday, up in heaven, we’ll all get to see that!
Meantime, I just don’t like the idea of this Babs GYPSY, but, again, will be happy to be proven wrong.
why would they make another movie with her? she just failed this past weekend starring as PAUL. she needs to go away
not funny
Complete. Joke. Yet another reminder of the complete LACK of any new ideas. God, who would want to see this?
“Burlesque” fans will want to see it.
LAZY, LAZY, LAZY…when is Hollywood going to start getting creative again? I love Streisand’s singing voice, but the woman just cannot act her way out of a paper bag! And can anyone list a ‘Streisand’ film (where she’s the lead) that has made money in the last 20 years?
How boring…I agree with the above poster…who would pay money to see this?
I’m a great fan of Barbra’s but think she’s too old to play the part in a movie. You can’t make it a “Grammma Rose…even if “Gramma’s got the stuff” which she definitely does. It’s too far off the original script. She’d be a perfect age for Dolly Levi these days. How about Idina Menzel as Rose and Lea Michele as Louise, or was that already a parody on Glee?
I believe, with coaching and conditioning, Barbra’s voice could rise to the occasion. Barbra simply does not USE her voice enough anymore in between performances. When she is warmed up, not sick, and free of nerves, she can still belt a tune without a problem. I saw her do this in concert in 2006. Just when I thought she wasn’t going to hit the note- she belted right through it and sounded great! It’s really her lower register that is suffering, her upper register is doing just fine when she reaches for it.
My concern is the character Rose, who is very energetic and “in your face”. Barbra’s personality just does not fit that character type anymore. She will have to reach deep to realize the character that is Rose. As a troubled adolescent, younger adult, Barbra had a lot of personal baggage to reflect on to fuel her most memorable performances. Today, Barbra is content, perhaps overly so. It will take some grass roots acting to pull it off. If anyone can do it, however, Barbra can.
I love her…
I, too, saw her in 2006 and she was magnificent. She CAN do it!
I never thought I’d see the day when Streisand would be the underdog in anything. By some of these comments, you think she never had a challenging role before. Everybody loves an underdog story, so maybe it’ll be her biggest yet. You have to admit, the level of expectation is pretty high for an old (if great) musical. Wasn’t Lucille Ball around 57 when she played that movie with Henry Fonda where she had a new baby? The media has us so age obsessed now we’ve lost all showbiz illusion.
yes, Lucy made that movie in 1968 when she was 57 years old. And she had a brood of kids that would all have been born in her mid-40s and onward. so, it was unrealistic. about 10 years too late…
I was a lowly apprentice on a film with Barbara years back. I remember her coming into my office early one morning, sitting on the floor with her boombox and playing me music she had written for the film the night before – singing along as it played. She wanted to know what I thought. I couldn’t believe this legend was sitting on my floor singing to me. She treated me and the rest of the crew as equals. I was invited to her house for dinner, arriving to find there was just four of us total. I was stunned. We watched movies and talked men. I saw executives and other talent be rude to her, crap written about her during the film that I knew to be false. And all through it, she was a professional that just wanted to be liked and make a good film. To see her discussed her like a piece of (old) meat, wondering if her shelf life is over is very sad. Talent is talent, no matter what age. We see parts changed every day to suit the actor/talent. I don’t believe Barbara would do Gypsy unless she knew she could bring something new to the part. I love and respect her and miss her on and off the screen. Working with her was an experience I will never forget. If she reads this, I just wanted to let her know. Gypsy’s story is classic. Barbara is a class act. I hope she does it. And she still looks pretty damn good!
Though your sweet story sucked me in – and I would love to believe you – somehow the authenticity seems doubtful. Anybody who has any knowledge or relations with her could at least tell you her name is spelled B-A-R-B-R-A. Not Barbara.
I totally believe his post because the little experience I’ve had with her has been identical. Plus people I know who have worked with her would say the same. The few people I’ve talked to have all agreed she’s a slave-driver and definitely a perfectionist, but she doesn’t push anyone more than herself, and although she expects the best from everyone, she is kind and sweet and loving, so almost everyone really wants to give their best. I think the bad press we’ve heard for so long is based on people who are jealous of her talent, journalists who hold grudges because she doesn’t grant many interviews and former employees who are FORMER because they couldn’t cut it. I’m well aware of the spelling of her name and still screw it up sometimes. It happens. But the part about her sitting on the floor with the boombox? From what I’ve heard that’s exactly how she is. Totally down to earth and definitely wants everyone’s opinion on everything. She’s about the furthest from “Diva” you could possibly get.
Please don’t play with my emotions like this.
Barbra looks amazing for her age. And she’s even said, “Well, I never was a Rita Hayworth in the first place.”
And all those “vaseline lense” comments are so out-dated. Has anyone with this response been to the movies in the last 30 years? Look at what they did with Jeff Bridges (age 60) in “Tron Legacy.” They made a CG version of his younger self using him as reference.
Now, I’m not saying they should go to this length with Barbra. But extreme close-ups could be limited in the beginning of the story concerning “Dainty June.” But when the s**t hits the fan in the later years between Gypsy and Mama Rose and her resentment over her daughter’s success, the age (i.e. the years of strain) on Barbra’s face could work well to the story’s advantage.
Don’t rain on her parade.
Love Streisand for her talent (I’ll refrain from commenting on her psyche) but she’s too old, her voice is shot to hell these days and this material is both too dated and has been done to death so no reason why anyone would bother to see this. Certainly at the budget that it’s bound to be to keep Babs happy. Chicago did as well as it did because everyone worked cheap. That’s one thing La Streisand has never been.
And if Leah Michelle does get the role of Gypsy in this, it’ll be proof that the producers have no eye or ear for talent because that girl’s singing voice is about as appealing as a cat getting screwed under your bedroom window at 3am.
Seriously? Go listen to Spring Awakening’s soundtrack. Lea’s voice is amazing.
Voice shot??? Maybe YOUR psyche is shot. She sounds just fine.
“Voice shot” is WAY too harsh. But, as a Streisand fan of her work in every decade, the voice is NOT what it once was. The range has lessened and there’s a hoarseness where once you heard crystal clear notes. She’s almost 70. There’s no reason to assume that it would be the same. Women’s voices deepen with age (and life) and hormonal changes and that’s that. Listen to Rosemary Clooney at 25 and then again at 65. Plus, Barbra is on record that she does not like to sing…that she only sings when she has to…that she’ll go months without singing even a note. Like anything, the voice needs to be worked. I have also seen her photographed with a cigarette, so smoking is yet another assault on her instrument.
Of course, with a movie, she’ll have the luxury of being able to rehearse as long as she wants, record as many takes as necessary and there are computers which can fix things nowadays in ways that were only dreamed of years ago. So, all in all, she’ll probably pull it off.
But, in a perfect world, she’d have considered all of this 20 years ago and recorded the score then when her voice could still make you believe that you were hearing the definitive version of a song the first time she sang it…despite scores of other versions which had come before.
It’s off. It’s on. It’s off and on again. A rose is a rose by any other name, but this speculative Rose in the form of La Streisand could be a masterpiece, if ONLY she could actually let go of her well-guarded persona to play this character named Rose. BJS is funny enough, emotional enough (to make us feel sorry for this stage mother of all stage mothers)and has an ego as big as The Big Apple. But the voice. And the age. I figure those who are in power wouldn’t trust The Brooklyn Screamer with this part if they had not already hammered out the obvious problems. Let Streisand do it.
She has always wanted to “act” and this might be her chance to let it all out. She couldn’t quite cut the muster for *Nuts* to play a disturbed woman, but she has had her growls and explosions on screen. With the right director and the latest in sound equipment, it could happen. She has had her chances, but she is talented enough and well-respected enough for Hollywood to afford her the chance of a lifetime, her last chance, probably, to salvage her reputation as the sell out of all time.
It does bother me though that Rose was written to be a woman under 40, even though she has been played as much older. Rose, when she grinds out her lament in “Rose’s Turn,” is actually still young enough to have her turn at bat. Poor Rose though never had the guts. Well, Streisand may have lost some of the power of her voice, but she still has those guts.
Anne Hathaway as Louise!!!!
Yes, Anne Hathaway is the only A-list young actress ( and triple threat talent ) that can pull -off Louise credibly.
Streisand is terrible casting for this role, in every possible way.
And the fact that she’s almost 70 – awful, awful, awful.
I don’t think this will ever actually get made – and if it does, it will give MAME a run for its money as the biggest musical train wreck ever.
If you saw Barbra at the Grammys, she’s had some work done that’s freaky in how well done it is – she DOES look 35 again! She just needs to get her voice back in shape. Meanwhile, how can you compare Lucy in “Mame” to Barbra doing a muscial? Lucy was just not muscial at all! Barbra has one of the great voices!
Also, if you saw “Nuts” you know that Barbra can play unlikable!
As for a director, not Hooper! I say Rob Marshall or as “Funny Girl” was William Wyler’s first muscial, then perhaps “Gypsy” should be Speilberg’s first musical.
You are so right!!! Barbra has had some amazingly natural looking plastic surgery done recently. I was stunned at her appearance at the Grammys too!!
Joan Rivers recently quipped that Barbra had that “six figure shit” done. Haha