Barbra Streisand lights up the screen in her movie debut, commanding every second of her role as showgirl-turned-superstar, Fanny Brice. Shockingly, this also marks the debut of the film as a Criterion release, finally receiving a new 4K digital restoration and available only on 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs. The restoration results are spectacular and further cement the film’s place as one of Hollywood’s all-time greats.
Buy Funny Girl Criterion Collection Blu-rayStreisand stars as a young singer-comedian desperate to break into show business with a role in the Ziegfeld Follies, even though she doesn’t fit the mold of a typical Ziegfeld girl. When she meets a charming gambler named Nick (Omar Sharif) and gets her showbiz break, her career and romance take off with varying results. It’s surprising now to see Brice expressing misgivings about her physical appearance, especially after the recent Broadway revival virtually eliminated that now unfashionable aspect of the character.
Streisand is completely assured in her role, hilarious and self-deprecating while also nailing all of her vocal performances. Sharif can’t hold a candle to her, nearly fading into the background with his lightly inflected line readings and general stiffness. In retrospect, it’s an odd pairing, and likely would have been more interesting with an equally charming male lead, but the lack of chemistry ultimately lets Streisand shine all the more on her own.
The film is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with surround DTS-HD Master Audio. There’s a bit of manufacturer confusion about whether that surround is 5.0 or 5.1, with the disc packaging twice identifying it as 5.0 but the Criterion website advertising 5.1, but since there’s virtually no bass in the soundtrack, the subwoofer gets some rest either way. If your memories of the film are only lousy pan-and-scan TV broadcasts or prior DVD efforts, the original super widescreen aspect ratio is a revelation, granting epic scope to the lavishly staged production numbers and Streisand’s timeless solos.
Where the restoration truly shines is the image quality, revealing new levels of vibrant color not at all associated with my memory of the film, even on non-HDR Blu-ray. The clarity is so precise that it shows minor occasional fumbles in the camera focus, while the unwavering color spectrum radiates the vibrancy of the costumes and sets. I associated the film with the browns and grays of dingy alleys, rundown backstage areas, and Brice’s modest home, but now even the most humble outfits and sets shine, while Brice’s later star attire and dazzling production numbers seem to have a fresh coat of luminous paint that virtually leaps off the screen.
Bonus features include a new audio interview with Streisand, an archival interview with Sharif, a deleted scene with Streisand and Sharif, an archival documentary on director William Wyler’s career, and featurettes from the original theatrical release. In the “stretching it” category, there’s also an interview between Wyler’s son and a TCM host, a passable attempt at further background info for the truly hardcore fans but far from essential viewing for most.
Streisand went on a nearly uninterrupted string of leading movie roles for the next 15 years, but it all started here with her incandescent debut. As her star rose, the Hollywood movie musical genre faded, marking this film as one of the last classic musical releases. It’s also one of the best, now more evident than ever thanks to this impeccable Criterion restoration.
