OK, in my July 4th post, "Gypsy": Momma's talkin' loud, Momma's got the stuff, Momma's ... gettin' old, I complained about how, traditionally, the role of stage mother Madame Rose in "Gypsy" has been cast with an actress well into her 50s.
Why? The show spans only about 10 years or so, starting when Rose's two young daughters are 7 and 9 at best. Shouldn't the character be 30ish or maybe a little younger? "Imagine how revelatory - and different - it would be," I wondered aloud, "with a younger, youthful, vibrant performer in the role."
But who?
Well, I finally came up with the perfect choice.
My candidate for Rose is the right age (37), and has the right bearing, attitude and stature for the role. She's tall and imperious. She's been a force both on-screen and off, intimidating and often in overdrive. Plus, she has the kind of husky, powerful voice for which the Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim songs were made.
With that said, my pick (drum roll, please) is ... Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Think about it. It could work. A real movie star in the role. It would be worth the price of admission just to see and hear Zeta-Jones belt her way through "Rose's Turn."
I can dream, can't I?
(Artwork: The indomitable Catherine Zeta-Jones, made to play the indomitable Madame Rose in "Gypsy")
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Anyone interested in perusing some 2060 of my film reviews, dating back to 1994, can do so by simply going to RottenTomatoes.Com
4 comments:
Sounds good!
Brilliant!
Great choice, and it's seems so obvious now that you've said it. Have an eggroll, Mr. Goldstone.
"it's" seems? And I call myself a writer? Yikes.
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