es A trio of Sondheim tunes on film Mordden’s new tome considers Hollywood musicals oe tcl seca and meds atension gi so the 2016 release Le Le Lend contin tha movie musical approaching its 90th birthday, remains vital. rol author Ethan Mordden has fallowed up his tha monograph On Sond (2015) with When Brocduay Wine te Holbwond (Oxford Univenity Pees} a ltgescale history Hollywood musica, inluding cogent analysis of dace fils wih Srepien Sondheim scores. Reguding the often-maligned adaptation ofthe Sondacim/Tole Sryne musical Gypsy, Mordde is generous, "[Wamer Broch- ces) eeated Gp (1962) with compare respec albeie wich Rosalind Russell ypc te role th wl cand through @ portrayal, the fis in her career, However: the new directo Mean LeRoy, sublyretilted the action, seeing Rose a mote than rasan cucof-vasie ferman suse mot accor We vend to think of Gip- sy asa Fail soga centered on 2 narent problem. LeRoy viewed is awa backstages, constantly pling the camera ina the middle of an sucitorium to gaze greedily upon stage — even during the credits, che first visual ofl. Tate, during the Fartboys act, when other Roses (starting with Me Broads) accasionaly inject thernelves inc the scene, LeRoy ha Rusel doing virally the cate ac along with de kids. So Rose ruc vocation is nor mia zr. es performer” Mordden songs awe and again, ihre Freshing so sei almoee lavishly recreting what has become one of our das Ms the Woods (2014, drezed by Rob Marshall) “is ako quite fathfl, and this we fr shocking, a S pioneered the most ambitious wing ofthe mod em musical, often maving outside the comaire wre of many (..) Barter, Wand relling of fait ese replete ith the auzhentie Grimm Violence. We keep thinking dese tales are sbowe Cinderella and hee gas slipper, bur th + REVIEW BY ANDREW MILNER » ikely well of Himbs gesting backed off and mon- sters wondering whi sauce you go with” He sed, “The very jgiging cave was largely dawn fiom relative newcomer, though Meryl Sereeps ‘Wich and Joh iy Depp cameo asthe Wolf = WHEN -——- BROADWAY cnc. —— WENT TO —— HOLLYWOOD ETHAN MORDDEN "Ethan Morédet atest bok i lrge-seae story of Hllrwood masa ncading ‘orsmantssboutGypry ad Ine the Woods. ome movie-star prestige. Sondhelns scores snainain «high epreiv level, yet he writes, for Broadway voice! — men who exttya rine in the Robere Preston racer than Alfied Drake manner and wornen more lies Angela Larabusy ‘ban Barbara Cooks Sil, Steep is especially cflective in The Last Migh in slow build @ ‘of volume as the wind comes up and the camera Seles fiercely ston hes” ‘Also exained is Dick Try (1990, Wat Beacty which, while eatuving several origial Sondheim song, i rarely consdared 4 movie ‘musical: "Sooner of Later (1 slays get my mar) cul be Madonna’ performance spat or ic could tall abou her ineres i ‘Tracy or even, obliquely, about “Tracy vccvis inlaw enforce: ment. Or More” another 0 Madonna numbers on the nigheeub fos, Functions 8 an fourofsrory character number oe the Material Gti hers Or ‘Live Alone and Like Isang by Mel “Tormé ia voioowes refer tothe adult pslacpals al single yet all setting more and more iavelved ‘with one anothec” Conspieuousy, Morden loses over other movie musical heim contsbuted to, Wer ate a Tigger ye F809 ag to 979, wel films fearusing stats of each of | Seager nt ee pete wel Sg a Bor, waa aa Stove on SS ok pe dein hoe ae Sees “hater ny | Wl Cons Ble Te Pion divoync i eteaee) | iad ta hou en Eaten iy me ei | : only ehzeeane-sal page, ‘These weakneset aide, When Broadly Wot o Holipwoodis ‘literate often latgh-oue-oud | amination of the ane of ANDREW MILNER naz bean ofrelanes wer fr 30 youre. Ha contributed to Janne Goce acleimed Stop Sandner: A Casebook (1527)