Funny Girl

Yes it’s an oldie but a goodie.

While relaxing today, I decided to watch Funny Girl. I first saw Funny Girl about 7 or 8 years, when I was too young to truly understand it. I knew it was a wonderful movie because it began a love affair with Omar Sharif; I just never fully appreciated it. Today was my fourth time watching this movie and as I followed Fanny Brice’s tale of love, life, success and heart-break it made me yearn to be in the sixties ( no relation to the movie) if only to be romanced my Omar Sharif (do not judge me).

Funny Girl is the story of a young girl never who thought she deserved a second look from the opposite sex unless she was making them laugh. Full of talent and jokes, Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) roller skates into the heart of Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif) a debonair man of the world with a delectable enigmatic accent that leaves Fanny breathless. Fanny’s one night encounter with Arnstein occupies her mind for six months till she gets a telegram from Florenz Ziegfeld himself to audition for him and soon becomes a member of the Follies fulfilling her lifelong dream. A hit on opening night brings Nick Arnstien back into her life for one more night. A year later Fanny and Nick meet again, Fanny now a huge success and a world class love affair begins. The most heart warming sequence of this film is Fanny’s journey to meet Nick who is Europe bound, arriving on the ship tired and dishevelled after hitching a ride on tug boat, Nick holds her in his arms with so much passion you wonder how he ever dreamt of leaving her behind.

Funny Girl is a fantastic tale or life, love and everything else. Barbra is ideal as a New York gal whose idea of a breeding is to watch the nature channel (if they had that back then) and Omar is quintessential prince charming that can do no wrong no matter how wrong he is. Together they create the perfect chemistry that makes even the snow queen all warm and fuzzy. This movie is must for any collection for days that the world just seems so miserable you can pop it in and sing with a Funny Girl and be courted by the perfect gentleman. I must I couldn't help but get a Mansfield Park feeling from it though...