(Herbert Ross, US 1975, 136 min., DCP)
Funny Lady picks up the story of Fanny Brice about a decade after the end of Funny Girl. It is the midst of the depression — the Ziegfeld Follies have ended, her husband has left her, and Fanny is out of work for the first time in a long time. Visiting nightclubs along with her friend Bobby Moore (Roddy McDowall) to search for new material, she runs into Billy Rose (James Caan), who had been introduced to her as a secretary, but is actually a songwriter. A prickly attraction develops as the two get more involved both personally and professionally and Billy’s ambition drives them forward. When Fanny’s former husband reappears, it forces her to reassess her priorities and determine what it is she truly wants from life. Streisand sings twelve songs in this sequel, including “More Than You Know” and the showstopping “How Lucky Can You Get?,” and the pairing of Streisand and Caan crackles with electricity.
This series is community sponsored by The Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester.
