Fanny Brice was a hugely successful actress, comedienne and star of the Ziegfeld Follies. Born Fania Borach (of Hungarian Jewish decent), Brice's rise to fame rose from her insistence on 'not playing it straight'. She was the 'Funny Girl', an actress who, instead of following the director's instructions to be 'plain and ordinary' for her wedding scene, she entered with a huge lump under her dress as if pregnant and appeared slightly tipsy, much to the audience's amusement, and of course, adulation.
There had already been a long-running and highly successful Broadway Musical biography of Brice, and it was only 13 years after her death that the Musical film was made too, both of course, titled, 'Funny Girl', and although obviously romanticised for the film, Ray Stark, the film's producer and real-life son-in-law of Fanny Brice made sure it never strayed too far from reality.
This was also Barbra Streisand's film debut, and boy, what a debut it was too! She took the world by storm. Her quirky attractiveness, quick-fire repartee, emotional rollercoaster portrayal, and her singing / dancing abilities combined to make this one of the most successful film debuts ever and made Streisand into a household name outside of the USA (where she was already well known and the star of the Broadway musical) overnight.
The film as indeed the stage musical show how Brice was unconventional, determined and hugely talented, and of course, Streisand fitted these three adjectives perfectly. And despite names like Omar Sharif and Kay Medford co-starring with her, it is Streisand's portrayal that is always remembered.
The film had a special showing today at Manchester's HOME, [which was preceeded by a short talk by Andy Willis from the University of Salford about Barbra Streisand and her entirely deserved place in American popular culture in the 1960s and 70s]; because it marks both 50 years since the film's release here in the UK, and also it forms part of HOME's season of 'Women In Film'.
The story tells of a struggling Fanny Brice aiming high, destined to be 'The Greatest Star', who attracts the attention of impresario Florenz Ziegfeld (Walter Pidgeon) who offers her a contract as a singer at his 'Follies'. It is of course here where she fools around on stage and shows Ziegfeld as well as everyone else that she is bigger and better than what she is being given. Her career, at least, is 'coming up roses', but her married life, to 'smoothy' Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif) is falling apart. He starts to resent the fame and adulation his wife has, and starts being reckless with their money.
The film was nominated for 8 Oscars, (gaining sadly only 1), and, just as the Oscars did, I too should make special mention to Kay Medford for a truly empathetic and touching portrayal of Brice's mother, Rose. The film, as indeed the stage show, is littered with what have now become Musical Theatre 'standards' such as 'I'm The Greatest Star', 'Don't Rain On My Parade', 'His Love Makes Me Beautiful', 'You Are Woman' and of course Streisand's impeccable and haunting rendition of 'People'.
Directed by William Wyler, this is one of the best 'stage show to film' transfers there has ever been, and remains an absolute 'must-see' for any fan of that genre or to see the powerhouse talent that still is Barbra Streisand at the very start of her international fame.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24/2/19
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