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The 1968 hit movie, Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand will be shown at Tryon Fine Arts Center on Tuesday, February 8.

 

Set in New York city in the early decades of the 20th century, the story is based on the life of Ziegfeld Follies comedienne Fanny Bryce.  Although Barbra Streisand had never before appeared on screen, the film’s producer, Ray Stark insisted on her playing the role against the wishes of the Columbia Pictures’ executives, who preferred the better-known Shirley MacLaine, insisting that if she were not cast in the role he would not make the film. The film’s director, William Wyler also said he would not make the film without Streisand and, more than fifty years later, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Fanny Brice. Fanny’s scoundrel husband, Nicky Arnstein, was played by Omar Sharif, and the cast also included Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, and Kay Medford.

 

With a score composed by Walter Scharf, and the songs, including People, Don’t Rain on my Parade and the title song by Julie Styne and Bob Merrill, the film ended up with sixteen musical numbers, many of which became long-lasting hits. The film was nominated for an astounding twenty-four international awards, with Streisand winning four and Isobel Lennart winning for her screenplay. Aerial photographer, Nelson Tyler won The Society of Camera Operators Award for developing special equipment to shoot the famous sequence for Don’t Rain on My Parade from a helicopter.  

 

This lavish musical is part of TFAC’s current “Classic Films” series. Tickets and details of other movies in the series as well as many other events at TFAC are available at www.tryonarts.org. The Box Office and the bar will be open at 6:15 PM with vintage cartoons on the big screen before the movie begins. Attendees must show proof of vaccination or negative covid test.  Masking indoors is strongly recommended. See event and TFAC COVID Policy for more details. The author of this article is Frances Trafford-Flynn, TFAC Board Member.

 

 

Submitted by Debra Torrence