April 24 Barbra Streisand

Happy Birthday to Shirley MacLaine & Barbra Streisand

To celebrate Barbra Streisand’s birthday I watched Funny Lady. The film has a much different look and feel from Funny Girl. Barbra is still funny, beautiful and now a blonde instead of redhead with a hint of maturity. There is much wittier dialog and more songs.

The film opens with a closing night performance of the follies. She expects Omar to be there. He doesn’t come, but sends flowers and a divorce decree. She looks for a new show or a night club act to steal. She goes to a club owned by Billy Rose played by James Caan. She likes the music and agrees to record some of his songs. When he puts a story in the paper that she has agreed to do his new show she goes to visit him. They talk and she agrees to do his new show. While they are in rehearsal they start to like each other. Opening night and the show is a disaster. There is too much scenery, technical difficulties and absolute chaos. They decide to make changes while on the road.

When the perfected show opens up in New York Omar is in the audience. She sees him and is very happy. He goes back stage and she is happy to see him. She wants to get back with him and sees the wedding ring. She is very upset. Barbra has a lovely solo. If this were on stage it would have been the end of the first act.

James asks Barbra to marry him and she accepts. They don’t spend a lot of time together. She is in California working in movies and in radio and he is in Cleveland creating an aquacade. While in California she sees Omar. She tells him that the first night she saw the 7 toothbrushes and his pajamas in the bathroom of his hotel room. They kiss. She realizes she was in love with the 7 toothbrushes and leaves him. She is free. She goes to Cleveland to tell James. He is interested in someone else who loves him and will be around. They part.