Don't Rain on My Parade: The 'Funny Girl' Movie Love Thread

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:20am

I'm in the middle of watching this. Right now Fanny (Barbra Streisand) has just left the stage dressed as her "Baby Snooks" character only to learn that Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif) has been arrested in connection with a phony bonds scheme.

Funny thing is, at this time in Fanny's life she hadn't yet created the "Snooks" character.

Although not a documentary and more a "romanticized" version of Fanny's rise to fame and her marriage to gambler Arnstein, one can't help notice while watching this film the ever growing number of anachronisms that clutter the film.

Period detail, if any exists in the film went out the window. From the opening titles to Streisand's hair styles, costumes, make up not to mention the pop arrangements given to Jule Styne's score scream 1960's.

Yet and still no one can argue that Streisand, in her first film, in her signature role was a force to be reckoned with and that even with a sluggish second act the film remains one of the most important film musicals of all time.




Updated On: 6/11/10 at 01:20 AM

[chickfila]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:59am

Agreed - as a biopic, the film has its flaws - however it was a vast improvement over the show. Streisand was astounding in it - she knew the part real well and had a fantastic director and support team to ensure she was shown off to best advantage. It is unfortunate that Streisand didn't rise to stardom in the forties. Could you image the library of work we'd have if she had signed with MGM in its heyday?

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:23am

Streisand's star rose just when the old studio system was coming to an end and by the time FUNNY GIRL made it to the big screen it really was a thing of the past. She would have made quite an impact on musical film had she been around in the 40's and 50's.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:29am

I really like this movie simply because this probably is the first musical movie that tells the story visually. The sequence of "Don't Rain on My Parade," probably sprouted the first seeds for the development of MVs. Yes, I also found out that "60s" is put in front of your face in this movie, especially Streisand's hairstyle. Yet, I think back at that time, Hollywood is still under the impression of star image instead of character design.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:36am

That is a very keen observation Paulo. The Don't Rain on My Parade sequence plays like what could now be considered a music video. It can be literally lifted from the film and stand alone in that context.

I also love that overture. Jule Styne was an exciting composer, "Gypsy" is sure proof of this and his overture for that show is legendary. His overture for this is a great second runner especially when it segues and builds and then finally explodes with that hyperkinetic version of "Don't Rain on My Parade". One thing the film version of the overture omits is that blaring horn at the very end as "Parade" ends that emulates the last note other than that minor quibble it's pretty damn close to perfect.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:40am

I had to laugh at some of the plot holes though. They find out Fanny can't roller skate during the actual performance? Whatever happened to the rehearsals? Yet when she performs "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Be Happy With Somebody Else)" she's a pro on the skates, gliding, turning and stopping effortlessly.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:42am

Fanny also had a penchant for heavy eye makeup and immaculately manicured loooong fingernails at a very, very young age didn't she?

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:50am

Again, everything goes around Barbra Streisand the person, that's why the makeup and hairstyle are all designed only for her image instead of the character. This Fanny Brice probably already had makeup lessons when she was a baby. :P

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:56am

Here is an in depth article on the restoration of the 'Funny Girl' film. It was spearheaded by Grover Crisp, Vice President of Assets Management over at Sony Pictures. The restoration took three years to complete. A fascinating read.

FUNNY GIRL: Restoration

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 6:23am

Interesting article on the evolution of FUNNY GIRL from stage to screen with a little FUNNY LADY thrown in for good measure.

How lucky can you get?

Click Me HARD! Updated On: 6/11/10 at 06:23 AM

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 6:58am

As a person who loves musicals, I absolutely love Barbra Streisand's performance and the songs from Funny Girl. No one could do what she did. I was so happy when she won the Oscar.

The movie itself has not aged well with me. I could sit through it now only to watch the musical numbers. I find it way too sluggish.

And Funny Lady... as this is a love thread, I won't to go there.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 7:23am

I think the first act is tops all the way after the intermission and you settle into that second act is when things get a little slow. I think it needed a little more balance as far as characters go. I wouldn't have minded more scenes with Mrs. Brice and the other people in Fanny's life.

There was much cut out from the film including the down sizing of Anne Francis' character, so much so she wanted her name removed from the film's credits. I also know that "Who Taught Her Everything" was filmed, there are stills to prove this, but this number also hit the cutting room floor.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:39pm

"When some controversy erupted from ads depicting a kiss between a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn and an Islamic native Egyptian... Streisand replied: "You think Cairo was upset? You should see the letter I got from my Aunt Rose!"

I love this!

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:53pm

Poor Anne Francis...She was very good in the few scenes that she had...I have always been a fan. Does anyone know why they cut her scenes ?

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:01pm

"Stories of Streisand's strong will, and desire for control, began with her first film. An oft-repeated, but unconfirmed account has someone consoling veteran Director William Wyler, saying something like, "after all, this is the first movie Barbra's ever directed." Other accounts have them getting along very well after an initial period of conflict."

Oh, why I'm not surprised? Thanks so much for the article, Marquise. You opened my day!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 5:05pm

I really like this movie simply because this probably is the first musical movie that tells the story visually.

HUH?!?!?!

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 5:16pm

Whatever happened to that cute younger guy with the Streisand-ish nose who used to post here?

[nealb1]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 7:21pm

In 2002, Anne Francis spoke publicly about her role in "Funny Girl" and how Barbra, for whatever reason, got blamed for her role being cut, and changed. She never blamed Barbra.

Here's the link

http://www.annefrancis.net/02_news/0202_ltr.html


Yes, for a period film, it's very 60's in terms of style, hair, clothes, etc.


Updated On: 6/11/10 at 07:21 PM

[Q]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 7:39pm

"I really like this movie simply because this probably is the first musical movie that tells the story visually."

I'm a little confused by this, as well.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 10:31pm

I love the first half of the film, it could have almost stopped there and it would have been great. It was so sluggish once it returned until "My Man".

I think Ebert's review from when it first premiered helps. He gives it 4 stars singularly because of Barbra Streisand's performance.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19681018/REVIEWS/810180301/1023

"But the film itself is perhaps the ultimate example of the roadshow musical gone overboard. It is over-produced, over-photographed and over-long. The second half drags badly. The supporting characters are generally wooden. And in this movie, believe me, everyone who ain't Barbra Streisand is a supporting character.

That makes the movie itself kind of schizo. It is impossible to praise Miss Streisand too highly; hard to find much to praise about the rest of the film."

He goes on to mention how it was rumored Steisand basically took over the direction of the film from William Wyler, which I think is why you hear Babs get blamed for parts getting cut, etc.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 12:50am

I basically feel the same way Ebert felt about the film. It's not a bad film, just an unbalanced one but it remains one of my all time favorites, flaws and all.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:07am

I agree with Ebert. If it's not Barbra's performance, it's hard to hold the second half of the movie. Imagine the lack of Barbra in the movie, it will be suddenly reduced into an average movie.

Btw, I mentioned the movie is the first musical movie that tells the story visually. What I mean is that this is not a musical movie that is shot in theatre sense. Musical movies prior to this were often shot in a sense of stage documentary. The story is told by focusing on songs and dialogue (a fixed scene). They were like a video recording of a stage show. This movie however does not have this kind of feeling. The cinematography and the editing proves that this movie tells the story through images and montages instead of just songs and dialogue. This is the reason why I like this musical movie. It's novel from previous samples.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:11am

Another film that I also get a good laugh at the hair is CAMELOT.

All of those styles were SO wrong.


But, I just love FUNNY GIRL. It's one of my favorite shows and films.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 9:01am

I love this movie but I don't think you should use the phrase "the first."

Wyler learned from directors of musicals before him, like Ernst Lubitsch, Rouben Mamoulian and Vincente Minnelli, all of whom used the camera with increasingly sophisticated musical techniques and artistry.

You obviously should learn from them too. Watch this clip from Lubitsch's 1930 musical Monte Carlo. It is the famous train sequence in which Jeanette MacDonald sings "Beyond the Blue Horizon" as she escapes from an unwanted wedding, so it has the same sense of liberation that Wyler creates for Streisand with the tugboat.

But Lubitsch did it with primitive equipment one year after The Jazz Singer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stKh_KVMZGo

(The song starts at 6:25)

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 11:03am

Love Streisand in this movie and it definitely has some incredible moments but its one of those mid-sixties movies like CAMELOT or THE SWIMMER or even VALLEY OF THE DOLLS that seems hopelessly stuck in between eras and neither here nor there.

I disagree Streisand would have been a huge star in fifties cinema where the archetype was Janet Leigh, Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn. Streisand came along at a time when tastes were changing towards the more unusual likes of Mia Farrow, Dustin Hoffman, John Voight, Ali MacGraw, etc. She fit right in, had the stuff, and off she went.

I so wish we would have another "unusual" revolution in movie actors.