Funny Lady (1975)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writers:

Arnold Schulman (story)
Jay Presson Allen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

How Lucky Can You Get

Plot:

Story of singer Fanny Brice's stormy relationship with showman Billy Rose.

Plot Keywords:

1930s | Love | Sequel | Husband Wife Relationship | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 6 nominations

Cast

Barbra Streisand	...	Fanny Brice
James Caan	...	Billy Rose
Omar Sharif	...	Nicky Arnstein
Roddy McDowall	...	Bobby Moore
Ben Vereen	...	Bert Robbins
Carole Wells	...	Norma Butler
Larry Gates	...	Bernard Baruch
Eugene Troobnick	...	Ned (as Gene Troobnick)
Heidi O'Rourke	...	Eleanor Holm
Royce Wallace	...	Adèle
Lilyan Chauvin	...	Mademoiselle
Samantha C. Kirkeby	...	Fran (as Samantha Huffaker)
Matt Emery	...	Buck Bolton
Joshua Shelley	...	Painter
Cliff Norton	...	Set Manager

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The book "Barbra: The Second Decade" features stills from a number of scenes cut from the final film; these include: more/longer scenes with Ben Vereen and scenes of her as Fanny Brice's popular "Baby Snooks" radio character a dramatic scene with Brice and her very young daughter

Goofs:

Factual errors: Near the end of the movie, in a meeting between Brice and Rose, he mentions taking over the Ziegfeld Theatre. Rose took over the Ziegfeld Theatre after NBC dropped their lease long after Brice was dead. The discussion could not have taken place as portrayed in the film.

Quotes:

Billy Rose: [referring to having borrowed money from the mob to finance his show] They're gonna build me into the West Side Highway.
Fanny Brice: That's the only good news I've heard tonight.
Billy Rose: I'm not kidding.
Fanny Brice: Neither am I.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: The Wedding (#5.22)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

So Long Honey Lamb

A worthy sequel to a classic.

Let's get the biggest question out of the way: Is FUNNY LADY as good as FUNNY GIRL? Of course not, but how many movies are? This is the lively follow-up to the 1968 masterpiece, that continues Fanny's (Streisand's) story after her divorce from Nick (Sharif) and her second marriage to producer Billy Rose (James Caan).

This film was a sure-fire hit back in '75. Made on a then-hefty budget of $7 million, FUNNY LADY went on to gross over $48 million in the United States alone. Streisand and Caan have a sparkling chemistry, and Sharif is charming. Also, Roddy McDowell is memorable in a supporting role as Bobby.

The screenplay, though familiar, is surprisingly crisp with some fresh comedy bits and a bittersweet conclusion. The music isn't anywhere near as good as the original's, but there are some nice numbers including the showstopper "How Lucky Can You Get?" and the soft "More Than You Know."

FUNNY LADY is a very good movie and great sequel. Although the original is the place to start, the Streisand-Caan chemistry will give fans a good fix. Enjoy!

My score: 7 out of 10.