MovieChat Forums > Funny Girl (1968) Discussion > The Funny Girl Heresy Thread

The Funny Girl Heresy Thread

posted 16 years ago by onepotato2
14 replies | jump to latest

I'm not here to convince anyone this is an especially bad movie (it's not) but I think it has mucho dead weight:
- Omar Sharif is an uninteresting actor
- Nick Arnstein is a seriously uninteresting character for Fanny to get this worked up about, making the delivery of the climactic "My Man" dramatically false. Nick has very little potential as a husband, from the moment he says he's a gambler. Fanny's the typical dumb chick who's happy as long as he's bringing her money. But gee, his flaws just jump out at her when the cash dries up. Viewers are asked to identify with a duuuuuumb viewpoint.
- Really awful songs include "You are Woman, I am Man," "Sadie Sadie" and too many slow "I'm going to emote all over the place now" songs (Funny Girl, People, My Man)

And Heresy of Heresy
I think the song People is one of the worst signature songs in any musical ever made. It's dramatically unmotivated. It kills momentum. It conveys vague, uninteresting thoughts.

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] don-lockwood 16 years ago

I still think it's a very good movie because of Streisand and the strong production, and the two songs "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "People" are excellent. But I agree with you that there is a LOT of dead weight. The movie basically should have ended at the intermission. There was no point to much of the rest of the film, and especially for a musical, the plot was seriously lacking. There should have been more about her rise to fame, and less about her relationship with Nicky Arnstein, much of which was fabricated anyway. It devolved into simple romantic melodrama. That being said, for the first half at least, much of the production values and Streisand's singing, comedy, and drama all made it a very strong film.

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 16 years ago

The plot IS weak, but you know what, Streisand is so good and so commanding a star that she makes up for it. We skip over the plot and just watch her do her thing and see what real talent is all about.

Currently listening to: Roy Orbison: "Crying"

[–] MrPie7 14 years ago

Hey Don, Cosmo was a MUCH better dancer.

[–] scotbpens 15 years ago

If you think "People" is a bad song, try writing a better one yourself and see what you come up with.

And "Sadie, Sadie" and "You are Woman, I am Man" are cute comedy songs. "To tell the truth, it hurt my pride / The groom was prettier than the bride." That's FUNNY.

All the universe . . . or nothingness. Which shall it be, Passworthy? Which shall it be?

[–] mikwalen 15 years ago

I may be in a minority, but I think the film would have been more interesting and fun if they had been more faithful to the script of the Broadway show. I directed it a few years ago, and I was very pleased at the way the stage script plays. There are more songs (they took out a lot of Act 2’s songs), the supporting characters have more to do (Eddie and Mrs. Brice have their own numbers), and there are more ensemble numbers.

"Samantha! You picked a lemon in the garden of love!"

[–] MrPie7 14 years ago

" "Sadie, Sadie" and "You are Woman, I am Man" are cute comedy songs."

Are you on DRUGS!!!!

[–] Dunewalker-620-44376 14 years ago

Agreed! I've always enjoyed those numbers because of the humor in them. Fanny Brice was a comedian, after all.

That just goes to show you. You go someplace and there you are.

[–] ghtx 14 years ago

I wholeheartedly agree on your first two points.

Omar Sharif is maybe the worst actor ever to become famous or semi-famous. Absolutely no ability or charm.

His character was even worse. A total douchebag.

This movie pretty much sucks, but Babs is pretty amazing in it.

[–] netshopper-2 14 years ago

I agree with you but the other great element of this film were the costumes on Streisand. Fabulous.

[–] timothy-5 11 years ago

Omar was completely wooden. Anyway, here are some jokes:

If you remember, there were ladies in bathtubs in the His Love Makes Me Beautiful scene. The producer, Ray Stark, wanted Barbra to be in the bath in that scene. She said, "Please. I don't do baths." He said, "You sound just like my wife. Don't do this - don't do this." She said, "Stop it you creep. I'm not your wife. Calm down. I'm just playing her mother."

When she auditioned for Mr. Ziegfeld, she sang "Second Hand Rose". She asked him - How did I do - can you tell me what score I got?" He said, "Sure, if you accept fractions."

If you're not a Barbra nut, you won't get these jokes!

If she doesn't do baths, then how come she was in a bath in The Owl & The Pussycat?

[–] Dunewalker-620-44376 14 years ago

Let's face it. Omar Sharif just has to stand there to be worth the price of admission.

That just goes to show you. You go someplace and there you are.

[–] thepartydjz 12 years ago

If you had never seen baw baw before you would probably enjoy this film. However having seen her in her subsequent comedy roles you get the feeling she has only 1 character in her.

I did enjoy Yentl, a more serious side of baw baw, but her patented "comedy" type of role got old very fast, I can't even bear to watch this film now, even though I enjoyed it when it first came out.

[–] HeartOfSky 10 years ago

I'm a heretic as well. I just watched this last night, for the very first time. Pretty much, for me, the only redeeming quality to this movie is Barbra's performance. It has to be the single most sexist film I've ever seen. I want to believe that the extreme sexism was in jest, but that's just fantasy.

Seriously... her beauty is a reflection of his affection? It's all her fault that he's a loser? Her success is why he's not a real man? From the moment she became famous, there's not a single moment in the movie that focuses on Fanny's fame and talent. The main character has become the satellite to her supporting character.

Why not make a movie about her fame and how a woman could succeed rather than a movie about how a woman is absolutely nothing if she's not married? I understand that this was a common mode of thought for the times depicted. So... was the movie about Fanny Brice, or about a "woman's role"?