Funny Girl (1968)

The life of comedienne Fannie Brice, from her early days in the Jewish slums of the Lower East Side, to the height of her career with the Ziegfeld Follies, including her marriage to and ... See full summary »

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Isobel Lennart (book), Isobel Lennart (from the original story by: based on the play with),

Stars:

Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford

Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbra Streisand	...	Fanny Brice
Omar Sharif	...	Nick Arnstein
Kay Medford	...	Rose Brice
Anne Francis	...	Georgia James
Walter Pidgeon	...	Florenz Ziegfeld
Lee Allen	...	Eddie Ryan
Mae Questel	...	Mrs. Strakosh
Gerald Mohr	...	Branca
Frank Faylen	...	Keeney
Mittie Lawrence	...	Emma
Gertrude Flynn	...	Mrs. O'Malley
Penny Santon	...	Mrs. Meeker
John Harmon	...	Company Manager
Thordis Brandt	...	Ziegfeld Girl
Bettina Brenna	...	Ziegfeld Girl

Storyline

The life of comedienne Fannie Brice, from her early days in the Jewish slums of the Lower East Side, to the height of her career with the Ziegfeld Follies, including her marriage to and eventual divorce from her first husband, Nick Arnstein.

---

Plot Keywords:

divorce | comedienne | jewish | ziegfeld follies | marriage | 

---

Taglines:

People who see FUNNY GIRL are the luckiest people in the world!

---

Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 September 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Funny Girl (Una chica divertida)

Filming Locations:

Stage 4, Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$65,560 (USA) (31 August 2001)

Gross:

$223,306 (USA) (5 October 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Rastar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

151 min 155 min (roadshow)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) Dolby SR (35mm restored version) Dolby Digital (35mm restored version) SDDS (35mm restored version) DTS (35mm restored version)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Broadway production of "Funny Girl" opened at the Winter Garden Theater on March 26, 1964, ran for 1348 performances and was nominated for the 1964 Tony Awards for the Best Musical and Score. Barbra Streisand and Kay Medford reprise their roles in the movie and were both nominated for Tony Awards.

---

Goofs

When walking out after Frances is born, chairs in the background are close, then spread out, then close again.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Fanny Brice: [looking in the mirror] Hello, gorgeous.

---

Connections

Referenced in Angel: I Fall to Pieces (1999)

---

Soundtracks

"Funny Girl"
(uncredited)
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Performed by Barbra Streisand

User Reviews

Bad Biography...Great Musical

Every time a film is made about a real-life figure, particularly a show business figure, people love to complain that the movie is not accurate regarding the facts of that person's life. If the truth be told, if movie biographies were strictly about the facts, no one would go to see them, because for the most part, the facts don't make for great entertainment and Fanny Brice is no exception. The 1968 musical FUNNY GIRL has been maligned for years because it is not a very accurate representation of the facts of Fanny Brice's life. If you want to learn about Fanny Brice's life, read a biography or go on the internet, but if you want to see an amazing movie musical spotlighting a legendary performer at the beginning of her amazing career, then you can't beat FUNNY GIRL, the 1968 musical based on the 1964 Broadway musical that made Barbra Streisand a star. Streisand tied with Katharine Hepburn for the Best Actress Oscar for this charismatic star turn as the young girl from Henry Street who becomes a big star of the Ziegfeld Follies and has a heartbreaking romance with a charming gambler named Nick Arnstein, played by Omar Sharif. Streisand is in practically every frame of this film and never makes you wish otherwise...one of the great performances in the history of cinema...whether she is defying Florenz Ziegfeld by refusing to appear in the finale or chasing an ocean liner to be with Nick, Streisand gives the one-woman performance of a lifetime here. Directed by Oscar-winner William Wyler, Streisand is lovingly photographed and effectively showcases the Jule Styne-Bob Merrill score, which includes classics like "People" and "Don't Rain On My Parade". Some changes have been made in the score from the stage musical but Streisand makes it all work and the finale "My Man" is just devastating. It's not an accurate biography of the vaudeville legend, but as a dazzling and entertaining movie musical, it's hard to top this one.