Tonights Overnight Movie Musical Moment: Natalie Wood In Her Own Voice Part II Having been slapped down in West Side Story, Natalie moved right on to another musical, Gypsy. The story of legendary stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and her relationship with her domineering stage mother. Gypsy Rose Lees real name was Louise Hovick (Natalie Wood) and her mother Rose was played by the great Rosalind Russell. Like West Side Story, Gypsy was based on a broadway play. This time around, it was someone elses turn to be pissed. Although doing her own singing for much of the film, it was decided that Rosalind Russels voice would be dubbed for the most part although her voice could be heard in Mr. Goldstone, the reprise of Small World, and parts of Roses Turn and the cut Together Wherever We Go. But the majority of her singing was dubbed in by Lisa Kirk. Natalie? This time around it is totally her voice you hear on the screen and on the soundtrack. It probably helped that it wasnt exactly Gypsys singing audiences were interested in. As for Rose, other actresses were up for the part, including Ethel Merman who originated the role on Broadway. And when the role was handed to Russell, she was none too happy. This bit of trivia from IMDB: Before the decision was made to dub most of her vocals, Rosalind Russell attempted to do her own singing. The highly unsatisfactory results can be heard as an extra feature on the soundtrack CD. After Ethel Mermans death, a tape of the Russell recordings was found in a box in Mermans closet. Merman, who was infuriated that she had not been cast in the film, evidently had retained this copy of the Russell vocals as a strange and somewhat vengeful consolation prize. Natalie does a fine job here and to her credit knew enough to have her voice start out weak and become stronger as Louises career as Gypsy progressed. So whatever failings she may or may not have had on West Side Story, it doesnt show here. But thats not the end of the story, Part III tomorrow. Here is tonights Overnight Movie Musical moment, Natalie Wood in her own voice as Gypsy Rose Lee in the 1962 film, Gypsy performing and singing Let Me Entertain You youtu.be/UwF0n2ZKwVw
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:11:18 +0000
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