So I adore the OBC of On a Clear Day...but the film literally puts me to sleep. I saw it when I was a teenager, fell asleep then, and tried to watch it the other day, many years older, and fell asleep even quicker.
I hate movie musicals that go more than 30 minutes without a musical number to speak of...This adaptation is boring boring boring, despite Streisand's attempts to make it workable.
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
I think I saw this about 3 years ago..... I thought it was boring with the exception of two parts.... The opening and that fun lil thing with Barbra singing with herself in bed ("go to sleep"?)
Talk about BAD MOVIE MUSICALS this one is right up there. I was over my friend's Steven's house one day (he's a big Streisand whore) and in one of his many attempts to convert me and getme to join "the club" he begged me to give this movie a chance.
I coulda bitch slapped him for making me sit through this piece of garbage! It personified and solidified why I simply cannot stand Barbra Streisand and her over-the-top-shrill-histrionic voice.
Once I saw her prancing among the flowers I fell out laughing. Yves Montand was so bland I was trying to figure just what the hell she even saw in him. Hell, I was trying to figure out what he saw in her as well.
Saving grace: JACK NICHOLSON just because he's JACK NICHOLSON.
It pisses me off I will never get that time back.'
And don't get me started on FUNNY GIRL and FUNNY LADY.
To Steven: I tried, really I tried but I just.can't.stand.that.woman. Updated On: 12/15/05 at 04:00 PM
It's beyond horrible. Striesand plays it like she's mentally retarded. She really cannot act. All the numbers are overproduced, and the title number is almost unrecognizable. She's singing at the top of her lungs. Awful.
And enjoy the beauty - all the joy and beauty - that a Merry Christmas can bring to you!
I agree the problem with the film IS NOT Babs but the horrid screenplay! Blah!!!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
My vote is PRO Film. I love this picture and Barbra is simply "Land O' Lakes" BUTTAH!! I could take or leave Yves in the film but who was the other choice? Chris Plummer? He was much too busy beating Tammy Grimes at that time (LOL, Sorry but I just HAD TO!!!)
"It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance." -
Elizabeth Taylor
and its really unfortunate since it gives the show a bum rap. I read the script at my local library one day, and it really is cute. I love the OBC too. I actually think Barbra would have ben better in another Barbara Harris Show, the Apple Tree.
Barbra isn't nearly as bad as Yves Montand's impossible to understand accent. The script is somewhat bland, but the music is still pretty good - the added songs are fine - just wish so much wasn't cut.
i agree Yves is hard to understand...french people have a hard time learning english usually....anyhow..i hate how long old musicals are...i did enjoy this one in particular though.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
The best thing about the movie is the ending. (I'm not being a smart-ass) In the orginal production the ending was really contrived, but in the movie Lerner had them getting together sometime in the future. At least that is how I remember it.
This film is one of my big weaknesses - I just love it. Montand is very ho-hum (but then, I thought Jack was too) but Barbra was stunning. Those pics show how beautiful some of the costumes were. And I loved the clothes she wore as Daisy too. (I used to wear the same style clothes at that time!) This is one of my favorite soundtrack recordings.
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mamie4 5/14/03
It makes me mad that "On a Clear Day", a flawed stage musical with a wonderful score and an incandescent star performance by Barbara Harris, got preserved on film in a lifeless adaptation with both leads miscast and a fresh set of problems on top of those inherent in the source. And how could they have cut "On the S. S. Bernard Cohen"? The most lively number in the thing! What a disgrace.
I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."