Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1386 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-03-04
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 272 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Like giant monuments to good old-fashioned star quality, Funny Girl (1968) and Funny Lady (1975) hark back to the golden days of American vaudeville, while essentially celebrating one of the great, egotistical show-business talents of all time. Viewed end to end, these two films, which tell the story of Ziegfeld comedienne Fanny Brice, run for almost five hours. That's a lot of biopic. But with the greatest of respect to Brice, undoubtedly a formidable star of her time, the talent really in the spotlight here belongs to Barbra Streisand. Streisand created the role of Fanny Brice in the 1964 Broadway stage musical and her performance for the big screen is a tour de force, fully deserving the Best Actress Oscar which she received.

As a biopic, Funny Girl is superior fare, full of sumptuous production numbers. Brice's glory days are explored against the background of her turbulent private life with her flawed playboy husband Nicky Arnstein (a sympathetic performance from Omar Sharif) with considerable attention to the details of her inner turmoil. More rambling and less cohesive, Funny Lady finds Fanny divorced but still in love with Arnstein (Sharif also revisiting his role), drifting into marriage number two with uncouth songwriter and impresario Billy Rose (the excellent James Caan), her successful career again juxtaposed with a less than happy personal life.

Combined, both films measure Streisand's rise to greatness. In Funny Girl, the bravura of the performance as a whole masks occasional gaucheness, while if Funny Lady is the less impressive picture overall, it still marks how far she has developed as a screen actress. The rough edges are gone, replaced by a sophisticated poise and the sense of a talent that has come to terms with itself. And of course throughout she is superb in the musical numbers, which include her theme song "People" and the classic belter "Don't Rain on my Parade", as well as Brice's classic torch song, "My Man".

On the DVD: this package of tremendous, old-fashioned entertainment takes the viewer back to pre-multiplex days when going to the cinema was an event you might dress up for. Funny Lady's soundtrack includes a pre-picture "Overture" to give you time to unwrap the chocolates. You really need some plush velvet curtains to swing back across the television screen. Then, guaranteeing a twinge of nostalgia, there's an intermission break. Both films are presented in their original widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Dolby Digital 5.0 (Funny Girl) and LCR (Funny Lady) soundtracks do justice to Streisand's lung power. The first disc offers the most interesting extras, including a couple of featurettes about Streisand. Both discs provide standard filmographies and song highlights so Streisand addicts can skip between numbers to their hearts' content.--Piers Ford

DVD Description
Barbra Streisand plays Fanny Brice, a role that earned her the 1968 Oscar for Best Actress
DVD Special Features:

Funny Girl
Barbra in Movie Land Featurette
This is Streisand Featurette
Song Highlights (Jump to a Scene)
Filmographies
Languagesin Dolby Digital 5.0: English, French
Languages in Mono: German, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
2.35:1, Enhanced for 16:9 widescreen TVS

Funny Lady
Song Highlights
Filmographies
Languages in Dolby Digital LCR: English
Languages in Mono: French, German, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles:Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
2.35:1, Enhanced for 16:9 widescreen TVS

Synopsis
Two classic films starring the timeless performer Barbra Streisand. See individual titles for further details.
FUNNY LADY (UK: PG, 1975): Barbra Streisand returns as Fanny Brice in this sequel to William Wyler's Oscar-winning FUNNY GIRL. FUNNY LADY picks up the saga of entertainer-comedienne Brice after her separation from playboy millionaire Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif). Newly single, she teams up brash Broadway producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur Billy Rose (James Caan), a showman whose lack of polish is made up in his boundless enthusiasm. Before long, Rose's professional relationship with Fanny turns into a touching and turbulent personal one. Wyler's extravagant production is highlighted by lavish musical numbers, elegant costumes and a dynamic cast, which is lead by Barbra Streisand's signature style and poise.
FUNNY GIRL (UK: U, 1968): In FUNNY GIRL, the highly fictionalized musical biopic, Barbara Streisand makes her film debut in a reprisal of her Broadway role as Ziegfeld star Fanny Brice. Brice, a poor Jewish girl from New York's Lower East Side, rose to fame and won audience's hearts everywhere with her comic antics and powerful singing. Unfortunately, she had far less success in her personal life, and the film focuses on her doomed romance with her first husband, gambler Nicky Arnstein.

Customer Reviews

Barb at her best
loosely based on Fanny Brice, these two films can show me something new every time I watch them.Fanny as a young girl is as gawky as they come but Miss Brice was a very determined lady, she wanted it all,and boy, does she achieve it. The appearance of Cairo Fred (Omar) adds to the thrills, the seduction scene in his hotel (Funny Girl) still holds the magic. Great songs, good story, magnificant cast.........

Funny Girl v Funny Lady
Well what can I say Bab's at her best in funny girl but as with most sequels a bit of a let down not by the acting but by the script.

Funny Girl/ Funny Lady Box Set
If you are a fan of Barbara, this would be right up your street. However, as a movie fan Funny Girl is really what you want. A fabulous film. Funny Lady is just not as good; too long and without the charm of the first. Performances are a little ham and the songs not as memorable.