As a follow-up to Funny Girl, the life story of Fanny Brice, Streisand revives her role as Fanny, after success has come into her life. In Funny Girl, Brice was a budding actress with an incredible talent, that falls for the wayward Nicky Arnstein (Omar Sharif). Arnstein isn't what she needs in her life but he is definitely what she NEEDS.
In Funny Lady Brice is successful, but going quickly broke. She meets up with Billy Rose (James Caan) who has the ingenuity to showcase her in his latest production. He is an incredible songwriter and producer and just a bit wacky and a whole lot charismatic. His latest production isn't all that good, but with Brice's knowledge of the stage, improvements are made.
Just when the sparks are starting to sizzle between Brice and Rose, Arnstein walks back into the picture, leaving Brice despondent once again. Of course, Arnstein is a snake of the highest order, he has remarried, and Brice decides to hook up with Rose - not the best choice cause he has that wayward eye as well.
It is a heated marriage, if nothing else, but unfortunately they often find themselves passing in the train station heading to respective parts of the country to do their work. While Brice is on the West Coast doing a long running radio gig, Rose is on the East Coast, doing a beautiful blonde! Arnstein is back in the picture once again, but this time Brice gets the opportunity to blow him off.
Leaving everything in California behind, she rushes to Rose's apartment in Cleveland, in one of the typical elaborate productions her early movies were noted for, and catches him in the sack with the bimbo. Brice is once again alone, but more wise and mature now. Her life proceeds to great heights, but she has no one by her side. It's a typical scenario for the Hollywood set, painful.
Sitting on the sidelines
I don't know how true to life these docu-dramas of Brice are, but it seems she was a remarkable and outstanding performer. Both a talented singer and dancer and an incredible wit. Unfortunately, at least as portrayed in the movie, when she is confronted with dramatic decisions in her life, she falls into her comedic role to offset the pain. This is probably a little gift most of us rely on a time or two to avoid major complications in our life.
Before writing this review I decided to re-watch Funny Girl to get a comparison between the two movies and a comparison in the way Streisand had evolved personally - playing the same role. You can see a definite improvement in Streisand. As the more mature Brice she is regal, when faced with adversity she stands tall.
In one particular scene when she finally confronts Arnstein for the last time, she pulls all her resources together and seems to be at least 6 feet tall as she tosses her head and tells him to kiss off. She elongates that neck of hers, flips her head - you can just see the power of delivery in that motion. Of course Streisand was a pup in Funny Girl, what 19 or 20 years old?
I enjoyed Funny Girl immensely, but I think I prefer Funny Lady of the two movies. Streisand is more mature, both physically and musically, in this production. She delivers a more powerful performance, her singing leaves you breathless, her emotions are more believable. She personally has been through her own marriage and divorce by this time and can relate more to the pain that Brice is suffering. In addition, her own success gives her the background of the persona that Brice exudes.
James Caan is a terrific comedic actor. As Billy Rose he is the perfect foil to Fanny Brice, her exact opposite in everything. He's a slob, she is neat. He spends like a fool, she saves every dime. I really loved him in this role. And damn, do those two love each other with an intensity that sizzles off the screen. There is so much great comedic interplay between the two, you can forgive him his errant ways.
Roddy McDowall returns as Brice's secretary and emotional mentor and Ben Vereen is showcased in several numbers. An incredible talent!
This movie has a wonderful score, every song better than the last. Streisands' rendition of "How Lucky Can You Get" was nominated for an Academy Award and was reminiscent of Rosalind Russell in Gypsy. And that dress - cut all the way down to the plumbers crack in the back, may I say she has a very expressive back!
The productions are incredible, but it is during the ‘Follies' era, so everything in those days was blown way out of proportion. That just makes it all the more enjoyable, an era long gone by. My favorite production in the movie was It's Gonna Be A Great Day - Streisands' delivery of this song is worth the watch alone - and that dress ...... whoa momma! Off to the showers again!
Written by Jay Presson Allen and directed by Herbert Ross. Nominated for the following Academy Awards: Best sound, best cinematography (James Wong Hose), best costume design (Bob Mackie), best original song (How lucky can you get) and best song score (Peter Matz).
Say what you want about Streisand, she is and always will be a remarkable talent. Perhaps that is what turns many people away from her, powerful women generally instill fear and unrest in others - you never know what they will do next.
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