tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851593288215620717.post7313654549951593354..comments2024-02-25T03:29:01.043+00:00Comments on Mike's Movie Projector: All that jazz all night long + a funny lady ! Michael O'Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17820802843771524920noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5851593288215620717.post-91848030682534520652013-12-13T02:33:35.264+00:002013-12-13T02:33:35.264+00:00Funny Lady isn't nearly as good as Funny Girl ...Funny Lady isn't nearly as good as Funny Girl mostly because it's missing several key ingredients from the first film. The most important would seem to be director Wyler, who kept the first film moving even at an extended length while this one plods here and there. The supporting characters aren't nearly as enjoyable or fleshed out as in the first, where is Kay Medford's wonderful mother? Most of the music is excellent, the problem with most is the staging. Only snippets of many of them like "More Than You Know" and "Am I Blue" and several of the ones we do get full versions of are muddled, the worst is "It's Gonna Be a Great Day". Barbra gives a great rendition of the song but it's drowned mostly in long shots and the sound of the shuffling feet of the surrounding dancers. That haunting version of "If I Love Again" though is one of the most beautiful things she's ever done. Caan is alright as Billy Rose but he and Babs share little chemistry and he mostly shouts his part hardly making the most romantic leading man. As for Streisand, I love her and of course loaded with talent but seems brittle and haughty, two things Fanny Brice never was. The production design is excellent and some of the costumes are eye popping, that feathered dress in itself is amazing, but they are dressing up an average affair. joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.com