Queerantined

Daily Dose: Don’t understand Barbra Streisand? Don’t rain on our parade!

Funny Girl

Welcome to Queerty’s latest entry in our series, Queerantined: Daily Dose. Every weekday as long as the COVID-19 pandemic has us under quarantine, we’ll release a suggested bit of gloriously queer entertainment designed to keep you from getting stir crazy in the house. Each weekend, we will also suggest a binge-able title to keep you extra engaged.

The Revelation: Funny Girl

These days Barbra Streisand probably has more popularity as a punchline than as an actress. The star, known for her perfectionism, political outspokenness, and diva demeanor doesn’t get enough credit: love her or hate her attitude, she’s a megawatt talent.

For proof, look no further than her debut film Funny Girl. Streisand scored a Best Actress Oscar for recreating her Broadway performance as comedienne Fanny Brice, the trailblazing sensation that helped pave a way for latter-day female comics from Bette Midler to Amy Schumer to Lisa Lampanelli. Besides showing off Streisand’s range as a comic and dramatic actress, the iconic score by Jule Styne also affords her iconic standards, including “People,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” and “The Greatest Star.” The film also gets a boost from the handsome presence of Omar Sharif in one of his best performances as Brice’s beau Nicky Arnstein, and from Kay Medford as Brice’s fussy mother. Funny, moving, and with Streisand giving a performance for the ages, Funny Girl is, quite simply, fantastic entertainment.

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