Amazon.com video review:
Funny Girl
Ah, Barbra. Of all her onscreen personas, she sparkles in none as she does in
her role as 1930s comedian Fanny Brice in the musical Funny Girl.
Portraying the life of this star of stage and radio, Brice preens and prances
and sings, captivating her audience both onscreen and off. Fanny Brice started
life on the Lower East Side of New York, the daughter of a Jewish saloon owner.
Not the prettiest girl around, Brice still managed to quickly rise to stardom as
a performer in the Ziegfield Follies. A shrewd, obstinate woman, Brice dictated
her own success story on stage; things were a different matter in romance.
Falling hard for the stunning Nick Arnstein (suavely played by Omar Sharif),
Brice must navigate a difficult marriage. While kids may love the tunes (which
include the now-infamous "People," as in "People who need people are the
luckiest people in the world"), the plot is definitely adult-oriented. Enjoy
this one, but don't go too far out of your way for the sequel, Funny
Lady. --Jenny Brown
Funny Lady
When Barbra Streisand played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, she brought to
life a sympathetic yet strong-headed performer of stage and radio. In the
sequel, Funny Lady, Brice comes off as a harsher woman, slightly bitchy,
without the tremendous charm she possessed in the first film. Herbert Ross takes
over as director (William Wyler oversaw Funny Girl), and the film just
seems to get away from him. This sequel picks up during the Great Depression,
when even the great star Fanny Brice is suffering. Along comes Billy Rose (James
Caan), a small-time hustler who's out to make it big in show biz. The two pair
up, both professionally and romantically, although things are uncertain when her
first husband, Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif), reappears on the scene. Much to the
movie's detriment, Funny Lady concentrates more on Brice's professional
life than on her personal life, as the first film does. The songs are
elaborately staged numbers that Brice performs in the theaters, and while they
are visually lush and spectacular, they lack conviction. Caan is solid in his
role as the bumbling producer, but overall, the film is a disappointment. If you
want more Barbra and Brice, rewatch Funny Girl. --Jenny Brown
Amazon.com Essentials:
Ah, Barbra. Of all her onscreen personas, she sparkles in none
as she does in her role as 1930s comedian Fanny Brice in the musical
Funny Girl. Portraying the life of this star of stage and
radio, Brice preens and prances and sings, captivating her audience
both onscreen and off. Fanny Brice started life on the Lower East Side
of New York, the daughter of a Jewish saloon owner. Not the prettiest
girl around, Brice still managed to quickly rise to stardom as a
performer in the Ziegfield Follies. A shrewd, obstinate woman, Brice
dictated her own success story on stage; things were a different
matter in romance. Falling hard for the stunning Nick Arnstein
(suavely played by Omar Sharif), Brice must navigate a difficult
marriage. While kids may love the tunes (which include
the now-infamous "People," as in "People who need people are the
luckiest people in the world"), the plot is definitely
adult-oriented. Enjoy this one, but don't go too far out of your way
for the sequel, Funny
Lady. --Jenny Brown
