MovieChat Forums > Funny Girl (1968) Discussion > Hated this movie 40 years ago, hate it t...

Hated this movie 40 years ago, hate it today..

posted 12 years ago by LuvvieHowell
11 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie when I was about 10 years old, in 1972. I remember liking the songs, but something about the storyline upset me.

Well I'm 50 now, and just watched it on TCM 2 nights ago. All I can say is, I will never see it again.

The whole damned movie is about her nose, and her massive insecurities because of her gawky appearance. It's annoying as hell. Plus I cannot stand Streisand...she was already a diva during "Funny Girl" and I find her obnoxious.

I know I'm in the minority here...that people ADORE this movie, but I hated it. Streisand is so over-the-top, and you can feel her narcissism right through the screen. "the Barbara show" should be the title...

Let the flaming begin...

[–] john-s-2 12 years ago

I'm not a BS fan either, and the ridiculously 60's Hair and Makeup on BS made the movie laughable.

[–] LuvvieHowell 12 years ago

Thank you...I thought I would get lambasted for my comments...I have a lot of gay friends in the theater and to many of them, this movie is downright sacred.

You are so correct about the hair and makeup. Why didn't the director strive to make it more authentic? It's so obviously set in the 1960's.

[–] brendanchenowith 11 years ago

Some shots of Barbra with heavy makeup, striking a melodramatic pose make me think of Divine in Pink Flamingos, es[ecially during the birthday package rant. Now, I know Waters hated Streisand, and Divine's character had to have been influenced by Streisand.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.

[–] FawnOmatic 9 years ago

I never noticed it before but I was just re-watching Funny Girl and can see what you mean and people actually liked working with "Divine" Glen Milstead.

I don't understand why the hair and make-up are so 60s and not of the time the movie is supposedly taking place. It's a mix of 20s and 60s but it's always been very confusing to me and some will say it doesn't matter. I disagree. I don't expect everything, down to the buttons, to be 'period' but at least TRY to make it look right or set it in the modern time. It comes off as either lazy or cheap.

[–] HeartOfSky 10 years ago

I don't mind one bit that it was the Babs Show. I mind very much the awful and extreme sexism. From beginning to end, "No one wants to look at you if you aren't beautiful. If you aren't beautiful, you'll never get a man to marry you... even a loser. And, talent be damned!... if you're the supporting character to your husband, then you're nothing"

I can handle bits of sexism here and there. It was just so concentrated in this film that I hit my limit.

[–] marktayloruk (2507) 3 years ago

Fanny in real life might be said to have refuted that!

[–] Henry_Framus_Valentine 9 years ago

I could probably get through it if they tiled BS`s face and dubbed in somebody else`s voice singing the songs. Maybe if not probably.

🇺🇸 Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable. 🇺🇸

[–] timothy-5 9 years ago

I guess it's for Barbra fanatics only.

[–] tpcorless 9 years ago

I'm more of a casual Babs fan but I do buy her CDs and DVDs.

I like Funny Girl but I agree her performance can be a little hammy especially in the first half, but I think that was the point, and she did play the role on Broadway so she was probably more accustomed to the projecting-to-the-back-row kind of acting.

I think she's very good in the second half of the film when she tones down the theatrics and her acting is more subtle. Interestingly though, I find the second half a bit boring but Babs is very good in it.

I thin her performance in A Star is Born is much more irritating.

[–] elrigby65 9 years ago

You guys are all over thinking this - I saw this at 14 and now at 63. Of course it's dated and sexist etc. but one thing didn't change-
the final scene when she sings My Man - I can't breathe.....

[–] harro (499) 3 years ago

The funny thing is I'm 50 now and I'm only just watching it for the very first time in my life. The problem for me is that it is now 2022 and I have to say I wish I had watched the movie about 6 years ago, before Barbra Streisand turned into the decrepit, hateful piece of WOKE TRASH like Bette Midler, Cher and Robert De Niro etc. Unfortunately it's damn near impossible for me to watch anything they do now with out being repelled by the memory of their politics.