Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Funny Girl Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 25, 2024

William Wyler's "Funny Girl" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include new program with Barbra Streisand; archival program with Omar Sharif; archival featurettes; archival program about the life and legacy of William Wyler; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

In Funny Girl, two drastically different films are locked in a fierce battle for superiority. One of these films is conceived to impress as a classic musical but with a somewhat contemporary identity, and it is where Barbra Streisand can do no wrong. Or at least this is the impression one is left with because the camera is obsessed with her antics, virtually all of which are very, very silly. The other film sees and treats Streisand differently, and it is because she loosens up and is no longer a star in a musical. Streisand is just an ordinary Jewish girl who does a lot of dreaming and falls in love with a handsome gambler (Omar Sharif) wanting to love her the right way. It is only here that Streisand becomes genuinely funny.

Virtually all of this contrasting material is oddly incompatible, so for two and a half hours, while tirelessly changing personalities, Streisand does the best she can to merge the two competing films into one. However, this is an impossible task.

But perhaps all this does not matter. Funny Girl promises a lot of Streisand and certainly delivers, so maybe it is irrelevant that while she is before the camera plenty happens with and around her that is less than ideal. A big fan of Funny Girl could argue this particular point, and it would be a defense strategy that makes some sense.

The trouble with this defense strategy is that it elevates Streisand above her character, Fanny Brice, whose story is worth exploring. If more than two-thirds of Funny Girl were simply about Brice, her struggle to establish herself, and her clumsiness, which is the source of all the funny, the competition highlighted earlier ceases to exist. After that, Funny Girl instantly evolves into a period romantic dramedy where Brice, not Streisand, becomes the main attraction. Would this new film have been superior to Funny Girl? Absolutely.

In its current form, Funny Girl demands too much of Streisand while attempting to be a multi-layered, lavish spectacle that quite simply is not scripted right to be one. For example, several big stage performances where Streisand switches personalities can appear so unbearably silly and bloated that it begins to look like Funny Girl wants to be effective as a farce, but such a development was never intended. Also, the dynamics of Streisand’s relationship with her future husband drag Funny Girl to a very different place, where eventually sincere feelings and emotions become crucial, and even here the silliness continues to dominate. It does not feel right, and it does not work. However, Finny Girl one accepts the drama as authentic.

What partially redeems Funny Girl is the strength of its visuals. Indeed, most of the time it is a gorgeous-looking film. A few of the big stage acts, and especially the one where Thordis Brandt emerges, are fantastically choreographed, lit, and shot, and easily could have been envisioned by Busby Berkeley. The great care that went into various period decors and costumes is impossible to miss, too.

But given that Funny Girl was helmed by the great director William Wyler, its overall quality feels more than a little underwhelming. Indeed, it is an inconsistent film, with large areas that do not work as intended, boasting a conflicted personality, and ultimately mistreating its star despite observing her as one. As a biographical film, it is equally unconvincing, too.

Fanny Girl launched Streisand’s acting career, winning her an Oscar statuette for Best Actress in a Leading Role. At the same time, in the same category, Katharine Hepburn won an Oscar statuette for her performance in The Lion in Winter.

Funny Girl Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Funny Girl arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this release:

"The film was restored in 4K by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment from the 35mm original camera negative and the 35mm original six-track magnetic stereo soundtrack master.

4K Scanning: Cineric, Inc.
Digital Image Restoration: MTI Film.
Sound Restoration: Chace Audio.
Color Grading, Conforming, Additional Image Restoration, and DCP Creation: Sony Pictures Colorworks and Roundabout Entertainment, with colorist David Bernstein.
Restoration Supervisor: Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures Entertainment."

The 4K makeover, also available on 4K Blu-ray, is terrific. I viewed it in its native resolution and later spent time with the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

Everything that I saw on my system looked excellent. All visuals had a very attractive and very convincing organic appearance. In native 4K, they tend to be richer and more vibrant, with an overall better dynamic range. However, I must mention one more time that this discrepancy is between an excellent presentation and an outstanding presentation of the film, and both are equally easy to praise and recommend. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. In a few areas, small density fluctuations can be observed, but they are introduced by the original cinematography. Color reproduction is fabulous. All primaries and supporting nuances look exceptionally healthy and expertly balanced. Image stability is great. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Funny Girl Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed Funny Girl on 4K Blu-ray and later spent time with the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray. The comments below are from our review of the 4K Blu-ray release.

The lossless track has an impressive dynamic range. Several of the big stage acts sound outstanding without revealing even a whiff of age-related anomalies. If there were any such anomalies, and it is practically guaranteed that there were, it is impossible to tell now. All exchanges are crystal clear, sharp, and very easy to follow.

Funny Girl Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Barbra Streisand - in this new program, Barbra Streisand discusses the real Fanny Brice and her story, how she was chosen to play her in Fanny Girl, its production, and the many people around her with whom she worked and received invaluable assistance from. The program was produced for Criterion in 2024. Streisand also discusses her approach to acting. In English, not subtitled. (40 min).

• David Wyler and Alicia Malone - in this new program, David Wyler discusses the life and legacy of his father William Wyler, as well as Funny Girl, with writer and television host Alicia Malone. The program was produced for Criterion in 2024. In English, not subtitled. (27 min).

• Directed by William Wyler - this archival program takes a closer look at the life and legacy of William Wyler. Included in it are clips from interviews with Billy Wilder, John Huston, Laurence Olivier, Bette Davis, and Barbra Streisand, among others. The program was produced in 1986. In English, not subtitled. (59 min).

• Omar Sharif - in this archival program, featuring an excerpt from a filmed conversation, Omar Sharif discusses his background and involvement with Funny Girl. Sharif shares several hilarious stories about William Wyler, too. The program was filmed on October 21, 2003. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Original Featurette - presented here are three archival featurettes produced by Columbia Pictures in 1968. They feature raw footage from the shooting of Funny Girl as well as promotional content. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).
  
  1. This is Streisand. (6 min).
  2. Barbra in Movieland. (11 min).
  3. The Look of "Funny Girl". (9 min).

• Deleted Scenes - this deleted scene features Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif discussing their marriage. In English, not subtitled. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring Michael Koresky's essay "A Feeling Deep in Your Soul" and technical credits.

Funny Girl Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Funny Girl demands way too much of Barbra Streisand while attempting to be a multi-layered, lavish spectacle that quite simply is not scripted right to be one. There is too much Streisand in it, tirelessly changing different personalities, and not enough Fanny Brice, and this is why a lot of its contrasting material is oddly incompatible. It does have some funny moments, but they are overwhelmed by silliness that can appeal only to diehard Streisand fans. If you are one of them, Criterion's combo pack will make you ecstatic. It introduces an immaculate recent 4K makeover of Funny Girl that looks spectacular on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray. RECOMMENDED only to the fans.