Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Greatest Star strikes again., 10 Oct 2007
This is my favorite Barbra movie and, because of the topic, one of my favorite movies of all time. What gets left out of most reviews is that it is a fun romp through the subject of reincarnation. As such, it has some witty and contemporary (for the year it was made, 1970) dialogue about the subject and plot twists that reincarnation might generate. That being said, it has some incredibly lovely songs by Ms. Streisand, the most fun being "Go To Sleep". That song wins my vote because it shows Babs on a split screen so she ends up singing a trio with herself as the two backup singers. What's better than two Babs? Three! I also love "The Banquet Of Love" and find myself singing it while I am cooking. Yes, even today; 38 years later. It is a lovely song. And, since my sister in law is named Melinda, I of course sing that song to her from time to time before she shouts at me to clam up.
Barbra jumps so effortlessly from the mousy Daisy Gamble to the lovely Winnifred Wain Tentrees, stopping off as a guttersnipe waif, that you gladly acknowledge her claim to be `an actress who sings'. Winnifred, unlike Fanny Brice, is a stunning, classic beauty and the scene in which Barbra sings the Banquet song is Barbra at her most stunning ever. Every book about her has the shot of her in that pearl studded headdress for good reason. She is just plain old beautiful.
Another hot song in this show is "What Did I Have That I Don't Have Now". I memorized this song from the Broadway run of this show, and sang it in my nightclub act. I loved the song and loved how it could be done as a torch song or as an upbeat sort of anthem. Barbra manages both, thank you very much, and does so beautifully.
There are shortcomings to this show. As has been previously noted, Yves Montand should have been avoided. There are really only two people in this movie for most of the show and Mr. Montand is best left in French films. He was the flavor of the month in the middle sixties and some dead-between-the-ears producer decided this would be good casting. (Buzzer) Wrong! "Come Back To Me" was mostly ruined by his lack of singing voice and his mangling of the words.
Other shortcomings were undeveloped dynamite characters and the casting of Larry Blyden as the boyfriend. OK, a nebbish was needed because Daisy was a nebbish. But jeez, dudes. This dork was just irritating and every scene he was in made me run for more popcorn or to find a book to read until the fun got started again. And, to think all that stuff with him being so awful cut short the scenes with Jack Nicholson as the cool step-brother with obviously incestuous intent.
Another obvious shortcoming was costuming. Someone told the producers Barbra would look younger if they dressed her as a fifteen year-old society kid! Huh? Another buzzer, please. Wrong again! Daisy was as ridiculous as Winnifred was resplendent.
True this is no Moulin Rouge, or Chicago, but it is a gorgeous movie for those who like musicals and can suspend disbelief in order to just enjoy the romp. For Barbra fans, it is a must and a delicious chance to soak in her lovely voice in some very nice numbers. I give the movie four stars. Yes, I know that is excessive, but that is what ratings by reviewers are; their opinion. Now you have mine.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Minor Minnelli, 10 Sep 2006
Vincente Minnelli's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is an enjoyable minor musical with major production values, but no lost classic. With the exception of the title number and He's Not You, none of the songs, used almost entirely for emotional moments rather than to progress the plot, are likely to trouble the memory. Yves Montand is amiably professional, but there are no sparks between him and Barbra Streisand and too few jokes for that not to leave the film feeling somewhat underpowered. Bob Newhart is wasted, Jack Nicholson's part has almost entirely been cut along with several songs and several reels in a vain attempt to prevent it from being another of the big-budget flops that nearly brought Paramount to its knees until Love Story and The Godfather came to its aid. Many of the credited cast can only be glimpsed by the eagle-eyed using the zoom facility on their DVD players. It may also be the only film where John Richardson uses his own voice. The Clive Owen of his day and the bookies' favorite to replace Sean Connery as James Bond, he was usually either dubbed by David De Keyser or given parts without dialogue, and it's easy to see why from his terrible delivery and awkward working class accent (he's playing an aristocrat). Still, there is a great use of vivid color and some impressive design.
No extras of any kind on the DVD, but the widescreen 2.35:1 transfer is good.
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17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
CLEARLY IN A CLASS OF HER OWN, 3 Jul 2005
IT'S KITCH, KOOKY, KINDA SAD AND SPOOKY, BUT IF YOU LIKE LA STREISAND YOU WILL LOVE THIS MOVIE. IT IS I FEEL VERY UNDERRATED AND UNAPPRECIATED BUT IT IS A LITTLE JOY FROM START TO FINISH. THE SONGS THROUGHOUT ARE WITTY AND MELODIOUS AND YOU WILL BE HUMMING THEM LATER BELIEVE ME! SO GO GET THE POPCORN AND GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT, GO ON, LET BARBRA SPOIL YOU....SEE YOU LATER DOCTOR....
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