Gypsy

Dir. Mervyn LeRoy. 1962, 143 mins. 35mm. With Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden. Thanks to a perfectly cast Rosalind Russell as ultimate monster stage mother “Mama Rose” Hovick, taking over from originator Ethel Merman with brash bravado, LeRoy’s splashy screen adaptation of the Broadway masterpiece—featuring legendarily great songs by Sondheim and Jule Styne—is one of the movie musical movie treats of the early sixties. Based on the memoirs of groundbreaking burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee (played by Natalie Wood, just one year after West Side Story), it’s a caustic, clever, and emotionally complex depiction of the travails of show business and those who remain forever on its margins. “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Small World,” “All I Need Is the Girl,” “Let Me Entertain You”… musical devotees know the deal: there may not be a more perfect song score.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.