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Thanks for the memories!

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Film has unfortunately dated since its first release. Production for most part is uninspired and pedestrian. But Streisand is magnificent and Sharif charming. When the songs virtually disappear after the intermission and the marriage story takes centre stage, as a musical the film drops away. Worth seeing for Babs' tour de force.

A film adaption of a successful stage musical loosely based on the inspiring life of Fanny Brice (1891-1951), a popular vaudeville performer belongs to a bygone era, one of girls of Zeigfeld Follies, and her tempestuous marriage with Nick Arnstein (Sharif), a notorious gambler and debonair con artist.Barbra Streisand reprises her role on the big screen as her tailor-made debut and star-making vehicle, helmed by Wyler as the sole musical in his illustrious filmography and the penultimate feature of his glorious career, in addition to music and lyrics of Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, the film would be a major contender in the Oscar game and would eminently wins Streisand a BEST LEADING ACTRESS honour and the one-and-the-only time, in a tie with Katharine Hepburn in THE LION IN WINTER (1968). FUNNY GIRL ambitiously amalgamates an unconventional passage-to-fame of an ugly duckling with a mellifluous voice and an attitude of self-mockery, with a rote romance follows by the matrimonial turbulence, which mordantly bears out why it is so difficult for a successful woman to find a suitable hubby under the chauvinistic macro-milieu, especially when a husband's ego is too proud to accept the succour from his own wife even the situation is completely owing to his own defects.At a length of 150 minutes, including an overture and intermission, FUNNY GIRL is wholly focused on Streisand's Fanny and her affair of the heart. A not-so-attractive girl with a lowbrow upbringing, dreams of being a star on stage thanks to her singing talent, breezily challenges the customary but fluffy images of a Ziegfeld's girl (against the will of Mr. Florenz Ziegfeld, played by a stern-looking Pidgeon) and meets her deserved success. The first half of the movie is a high-octane studio-bound musical, Streisand's vocal prowess is impeccably affecting and puissant, you don't have to be her fan to acknowledge that (PEOPLE is such an empowering ballad, whereas the first half bookends with an exhilarating DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE and the film crowns with her heart-rending delivery of MY MAN). Meanwhile she is quite effective as a comedienne too, the romantic chemistry between her and Sharif (if we can overlook his foreign accent and exotic looks to believe he is a Caucasian) is palpable since in real life there was a thing between them.The second half is more about Fanny and Nick's relationship than her career orbit, so a more melodramatic mood shift infuses gradually (although Fanny's Swan Lake spoof is a tension diffuser), but luckily Streisand and Sharif retain in their composure most of the time without hamming up the ugly confrontation, rarely, a celebrity's marriage can disintegrate with such dignity and mutual understanding, love is still there, but marriage just doesn't function for them. Omar Sharif, slums it cautiously for fear of stealing the diva's thunders in his most charming appearance, thus it is almost like a miracle that the veteran Kay Medford, who also reprises her role from the stage, can usurp an Oscar-nomination as Fanny's unpretentious and level-headed mother Rose, as far as we know, her scenes could all have been left on the floor of the editing room.Maybe Streisand is a prima-donna during the film's making and production process, but standing in the view of a showbiz outsider and a pure spectator, viewing this picture for the first-time, one thing I must admit, she shines in it magnificently, there is no shame to be nitpicking of one's own passion project, after all it is her own reputation and future are at stake, plus being a woman, it does take guts to effectuate the take-no-prisoners modus operandi in this profession, what's why even under a global scale, no other female star hitherto can inherit her mantle, she is indeed the nonpareil Barbra Streisand.

I just watched the entire film "Funny Girl" for the first time. I of course had seen the tug boat "Don't Rain on my Parade" scene countless times (gotta love DVD select chapter feature) and "People", but had never seen the entire film. How can one even begin to criticize a film with a legend like Barbra over 40 years later? It might not even be worth a shot but here it goes. The worst thing about the film are the inconsistencies in the production. Which time period are they depicting: late 19th century (judging from the costumes and furnishings) or early 20th century (there are motor cars)? The kitsch is never-ending, even for someone who enjoys that sort of thing. But it was Hollywood and the film is over forty years old. The Swan Lake scene is so unfunny and borderline offensive to dancers. I realize that Omar Sharif was the heartthrob of the time but he is shallow and not very convincing in this role. Again, times have changed. The film is too long and drags on between musical numbers. I gather from reading other reviews that this might be due to the hack job they did to the original Broadway musical to make a film out of it. Now for the good parts: Barbra. Her carefree acting and character are still refreshing even by today's standards. Her voice, Lord that voice. It is interesting to hear the crystalline timbre she had at that age, despite the slight technical flaws. Her delivery is always moving and perfect. The high notes are tense and at times scary, but that's what makes her exciting. What else can be said? I know that Barbra Streisand tends to elicit extreme love/hate reactions from people and I have never been a fanatic. But her natural talent has always kept me interested enough over the years despite the eccentricities of her personal life and the plastic side to the Malibu persona she has become. Her recent release "Love is the answer" stayed in my CD player for six months straight and is still my favorite record at the moment. Ironically I love her voice on the album for reasons similar to those I mentioned above. You can hear it crack sometimes on the high notes, but it is so moving, especially in a jazz context. To this day, no one (outside of opera) can make their voice soar like she can. The lady has staying power and it is fascinating (even for non fans) to witness her budding talent in Funny Girl. Brava Barbra!! By the way, now that I've suffered through the entire film once, I'll stick to the "select chapter" function and jump straight to "Don't Rain on My Parade" (Number 16) from now on.

The '60s was the decade of the movie musical with "West Side Story," "The Sound of Music," "My Fair Lady," and "Oliver!" all taking home Best PIcture. It's fair to say "Funny Girl" might've been on that list had it not came out the same year as "Oliver!" But the Academy had it right in giving this musical romantic comedy's one Oscar to its best attribute and greatest asset: Barbara Streisand.Only in her mid-20s and in her big-screen debut, Streisand plays like a veteran. She brings the film to its highest points, makes it bearable through its lowest, is responsible for all of the laughs as well as all the touching moments and she does it while defying the "standards" of beauty in Hollywood.Streisand's nose might be the most famous body part in movie history, yet she holds her head high confidently and gives the mirror a smile as she utters the film's first line "hello, gorgeous." She's an average Jewish girl from Brooklyn but here she is -- and that's what makes her perfect as Fanny Brice, the famous Zigfield Follies comedienne."Funny Girl" is a typical musical love story only its main character is a famous (and wealthy) musical performer and there's a bit more attention on the dramatic aspect of her relationship with Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif). As she sings about people who need people being the luckiest in the world, the story becomes less about her rise to fame and more about finding the right man and making him part of her life. Keeping the focus on Fanny is legendary director William Wyler in one of his last pictures. Wyler keeps us focused on the talented Streisand and together they keep our attention on Fanny's story -- what's going on in her head. The love story can get awfully bland at times, but its Fanny that keeps our interests and brings the film its few poignant moments.Streisand has many faces in this film and that's why she's so good. She's not necessarily deeply moving or able to give a truly affecting performance, but she's believable and she's honest with the part while also giving it some comedic zing with the over-the-top Jewish New Yorker routine. There might not be any notable epiphanies in her performance, but she clearly guides us through Fanny's emotions and realization of her own flaws.~Steven CVisit my site at http://moviemusereviews.com