"I thought you did it for me, Mama!" - Who's your favorite Rose?

Which Rose, in your eyes, pulls off the pre-"Rose's Turn" monologue the best?
Ethel Merman, Rosalind Russell, Tyne Daly, Bette Midler, Betty Buckley, Bernadette Peters, or Patti Lupone?

My thoughts:
Merman -- Lots of energy, but horrible acting. I don't sense any truth or sincerity to the words she's speaking at all.

Russell -- Her "Rose's Turn" is more of a song of triumph and pride rather than a mental breakdown (That's just how she interpreted it), so it makes sense that she's not screaming her ass off. It also would look stupid if she overdid it, because film acting has to be handled with more subtlety and fragility than stage acting. Her line delivery is human and believable, not to mention original. (I especially love how she says "I could've been better than any of you!") She's one of my favorites.

Daly -- The more I watch it, the more I like it. Sure, it's not as dramatic and hurt as the other ones, but it fits the way she played Rose. She isn't allowing what her daughter said to get to her (yet). She hides her pain by trying to find comedy in the situation. Interesting performance.

Midler -- It looks ridiculous. She delivers more ham than the deli could ever offer. Nobody (not even a crazy stage mother) would ever act like this. Then again, she pushed and forced emotion pretty much during the whole movie, so this isn't any different from the rest of her performance.

Buckley -- The darkest and bleakest Rose of them all. Betty played a tough, cold Rose who came across as selfish because deep down, you could tell it was her that wanted to be the star. She doesn't seem to feel much towards her daughter, she played the character as only being able to truly make an emotional connection to what she loves most: Performing. Brilliant and unique performance.

Peters -- I don't care what anyone says, Peters ROCKED this role. Whereas most actresses play Rose as royally pissed off and disappointed, Peters shows us how hurt Rose really is AND also shows how much Rose is just BURSTING with all this energy that she never had the chance to manifest onstage. I love 7:49, especially.

Lupone -- Too fast, and all I see is anger and pride from her, not hurt and bitterness. I like how she paces the stage, and how she delivered "Not an ounce of it Miss Gypsy Rose Lee! I MADE YOU! And you wanna know why?". But a lot of this was just taken too quickly.

(No copyright infringement intended. If you would like this video removed, please message me. Don't just suspend my account without fair warning. Thank you.)
___________

Votes:

Merman- 1
Russell- 8
Daly- 2
Midler- 21
Buckley- 4
Peters- 17
Lupone- 16

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ethel
• Merman
• Rosalind
• Russell
• Tyne
• Daly
• Bette
• Midler
• Betty
• Buckley
• Bernadette
• Peters
• Patti
• Lupone
• Gypsy
• Rose's
• Turn
• Monologue
• broadway
• film
• stephen
• sondheim
• jule
• styne
• musical
• fable

[sweeney60]

Russel was best acting, no one will ever beat her in that aspect, but i think bernadette had the best singing. There has been talk in hollywood recently of making a new movie. They offered it to barbra streisand but she turned it down, and thank god she is way too old. Bet you anything they will try to use Meryl Streep. Personally I think they should use Catherin O'hara... and I dont know if she can sing, but joan cuzak would be great too.

[AtLastOnTheGround]

@sweeney60

Catherine O'Hara as Rose? I would LOVE that!

[sporran564]

And now a request: another film version of this classic, please. With Anne Hathaway as Gypsy and as Rose...........Streisand. Can you imagine her letting it rip in "Rose's Turn"?

[AtLastOnTheGround]

@sporran564

Yes, and it makes my ears bleed >.< I pray that Streisand will not end up doing that film of GYPSY. She is far too old ... and that is apparent in both her looks and her voice. I wish they would give it to an accomplished film actress like Annette Bening or Sigourney Weaver.

[WickedWitchElphaba]

Definately Bernadette, but Rosalind's a close second. I just love how human Bernadette's Rose is...her's is the most believable performance. Most of the others portray Rose as this awful, angry monster instead of a real human being with feelings. There's just more depth to Bernadette's Rose...and that wins me over.

[beloit22]

@AtLastOnTheGround G.A.R.B.A.G.E

[katiejonas26]

peters and lupone all the way!

[pepamint83]

Does anyone have the full version of Bette Midlers Gypsy mine is on VHS sadly and we all know what happend to those. I would love to see the whole movie online. Thanks

[TheTombRaider94]

BERNADETTE all the fucking way! Midler and LuPone were way too hammy throughout their entire performances. I like Buckley too but Bernadette gets my vote :)

[galinda5678]

i liked Bette Midler and Patti Lapone though they seemed like they had the tone of the moment down Mama Rose is going crazy at this point cause she lost June then Herby walks out on her Louise has been the only one who has put up with her and who Rose thought wud always be on her side the scene before Louise finally stood up to her so she feels like shes lost everything

[galinda5678]

@sweeney60 Catherine O'Hara kinda sings she was Sally in Nightmare Before Christmas but if Meryl Streep was Mamma Rose idk how THAT wud turn out

[CapricornDavo]

Ethel Merman IS Mama Rose!

[CaliCaliente00]

Patti LuPone is the best in my opinion, I think she's perfect in that role (and well, she's something like my idol xD) but I have to say that I LOVED Bette Midler.

However, my opinion is that they were all wonderful.

[3CheesyTacos]

<3 Bernadette in this role she is so real but on film Russell is the best!

Patti overacts but i like the inflections she puts into her voice