Arthur Laurents died this week, a talented writer who wrote the original book for "West Side Story", "Gypsy" and the screenplay for "The Way We Were". I don't know who his heirs would be but maybe this would re-open the door to a Streisand version of Gypsy.
shareActually, Laurents did an about-face and agreed to do the remake with Paramount. Reports indicated that it was already a done deal. He never did like the 1962 film version.
shareAnybody know why Laurents hated this movie version so much? Granted it isn't a musical masterpiece but its still a pretty good movie.
shareI would guess that his complaint was the same as others'--that Rosiland Russell was all wrong as Rose, and that Ethel Merman should have recreated her stage role.
When I watch this movie, I sometimes fantasize about Merman in the lead.
Bet she would have blown everyone away, LOL!
Barbra Streisand is almost SEVENTY-FIVE-YEARS-OLD.
The idea of her playing the mother of small children, or even teenagers, is ludicrous.
I don't think she'd ever have allowed herself to play the character's harsher aspects, anyway.
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