Funny Lady

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Gerard K Saw this film the first time, in a movie theatre on Broadway in NYC, back in March 1975. I was 12 and it blew me away. Streisand sings the heck out of the score, the Bob Mackie costumes are magnificent, the Fanny Brice/Billy Rose love story is so entertaining...Jimmy Caan is great and even gets to sing and dance. His Me and My Shadow is wonderful and poignant. Funny Lady, is a more mature Funny Girl, and Streisand as always owns the screen here. I loved it...and its worth the watch and the listen, even if just to hear Streisand blow this score away! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/31/24 Full Review Audience Member There's not enough soft focus or makeup in the world to cover up this hideous tripe. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/31/24 Full Review Liam D Not the worst sequel in the world but it's decent Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/19/22 Full Review Audience Member The film provides fans with a rare opportunity to hear Streisand sing standards from the 1920s and '30s, attempting to instill a sense of nostalgia about a period few in he '70s lived through. Streisand's rendition of Ben Oakland (music) and Jack Murray's (lyrics) "If I Love Again" is a highlight. Unfortunately for a biopic on the inimitable Fanny Brice, it offers very little in the way of screenplay and plot. Instead of concentrating on Brice's transition from Broadway to radio and film, the movie gets bogged down in Brice's volatile relationship with Rose, so that it ends on a sour note of pain and regret. Caan perhaps secured a chance to display his vocal talent, but Streisand and Sharif garnered very little in the way of a meaningful performance. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Opulent sequel to "Funny Girl." Great music and staging. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member On the one hand, Funny Lady is one of those sequels where it feels like they just tried to remake the original film all over again. Yes, it’s a later marriage in Fanny Brice’s life, but many of the story beats feel familiar and don’t do much to differentiate this film from Funny Girl. But on the other hand, they actually get the focus of this film right this time. Unlike the original, where there were some large portions of the plot entirely devoted to Omar Sharif’s character (which was a much less interesting story,) here they keep things all swirling around Barbra Streisand. This means more songs (which are the biggest highlight of these movies,) and it definitely makes it easier to get interested in the plot. I still struggle some with the dull relationship melodrama, and I wish there was more humor and lightness in these movies. When Streisand is actually given a moment to play up the humorous nature of Fanny Brice, it is always delightful. There are some big show-stopping songs in Funny Lady, but I didn’t find any of them as memorable as what Funny Girl had to offer. I suppose when you have “Don’t Rain on My Parade” to go up against that’s going to be an uphill battle. Barbra Streisand belts the songs with all the gusto you would expect from an A-list star. I don’t particularly care what people say about any other aspect of her performance, but it’s hard to deny that she is outstanding whenever she has the chance to sing. I also think that James Caan was a good choice to play husband #2. He has a lot of charm and is much more likable than Omar Sharif was in the Funny Girl. He even gets a few moments to make us laugh and I think he is a good match for Streisand in that department. Finally, I’ll mention that the old-age makeup and wigs for the epilogue are atrocious and laughable. Funny Lady is not that great of a film. It is dull in parts and doesn’t have enough story to fill more than 2 hours, but it’s still watchable, and if it had songs as good as Funny Girl I would say it’s the better film. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/14/20 Full Review Read all reviews

Funny Lady

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