Witness the birth of a movie star as Barbra Streisand makes a screen debut for the ages in this musical spectacular. From humor to pathos, she hits every note as popular 1920s singer-comedian Fanny Brice, a young Jewish New Yorker whose spirit and supernova talent propel her to fame in the Ziegfeld Follies, but whose devotion to an unreliable gambler (a charismatic Omar Sharif) brings drama and heartbreak into her life. Adapted from a hit Broadway show and directed by Hollywood master William Wyler, Funny Girl hits emotional highs in unforgettable performances of songs like “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”—moments that won Streisand one of the most richly deserved Best Actress awards in Oscar history.

For thoughts on Funny Girl, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

The Criterion Collection presents Funny Girl on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in the original 2.35:1 courtesy of an impressive 4K digital restoration from the 35mm Original Camera Negative conducted by Sony in 2160p with Dolby Vision/HDR. This presentation serves as a nice upgrade from the included Blu-Ray derived from the same restoration. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Sony in 2013, but we do not have access to that disc to judge the level of improvement.

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc offers the ideal amount of natural film grain which is not overly gritty but definitely not absent as you see it is very tight and finely resolved. This allows the presentation to thrive and gives a buffet of pleasing texture and detail to the transfer. The image presents a dazzling amount of depth that makes the various settings feel more three-dimensional than ever. The upticks in contrast and overall clarity are a joy to witness, especially when you look at the detailed production design or textures on clothing.

The UHD disc contains vibrant, deep colors throughout with the screen lighting up thanks to the cinematography of Harry Stradling Jr. coupled with the Dolby Vision that gets the most out of some impressive location work. The outfits courtesy of Irene Sharaff are a standout, as well, with the hues making a major impression. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain a favorable amount of depth and detail in shadowy environments. Highlights are richer and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. Skin tones look quite natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a notable amount of facial detail. There is no sign of any print damage or other such blemishes that would hinder the appearance of this title. This transfer is a delight for fans of this classic title. The Criterion Collection has treated this one with the care you expect from the company.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc presents a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings the movie to life perfectly. With this being a musical, the quality of the audio is top of mind, and the remastered presentation here is idyllic. Every iconic song washes over you in a satisfying, enveloping way. The soundscape exudes a rich vitality with a deeply immersive quality. There is an emphasis on the front channels for most of the dialogue, but activity stretches to the surround speakers when it comes to the music and certain environmental sounds such as the train to make these worlds feel more robust and all-encompassing.

Dialogue is clear without ever getting muddled in the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer are mostly engaged to provide some extra texture to sporadic environmental elements and musical moments. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered carefully within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. Criterion has delivered something first-rate. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Funny Girl includes a foldout pamphlet featuring the essay “A Feeling Deep In Your Soul” by author Michael Koresk which explores the legacy of the feature, its themes, the background of the creative figures, and more that are very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Barbra Streisand: A new 40-minute audio interview with the legendary performer in which she discusses the journey to the stage play, landing the role of Fanny Brice in the stage play, the jump to making a film adaptation, her love of director William Wyler, being given room to explore her character, working with costume designer Irene Sharaff, and more.

David Wyler and Alicia Malone: A 27-minute conversation between director William Wyler’s son David and author and Turner Classic Movies host Alicia Malone in which they discuss the career of the legendary filmmaker, where he was at during this point in his career, why he turned down The Sound of Music, Wyler’s reaction to the stage play, his desire to work with Streisand, and more.

Directed by William Wyler: A 59-minute documentary from 1986 that explores the career of William Wyler featuring the last interview with Wyler along with interviews with colleagues such as Bette Davis, John Huston, Laurence Olivier, Barbra Streisand, Billy Wilder, and more.

Omar Sharif: An 18-minute excerpt from a 2003 interview with the iconic performer who discusses his career, his experiences as an Egyptian actor, working on Funny Girl, and more.

Original Featurettes

- This Is Streisand: A six-minute archival piece that shines a spotlight on the talents of the leady lady.

- Barbra In Movieland: A ten-minute archival featurette that takes a look at the production of Funny Girl with an emphasis on the train station.

- The Look of Funny Girl: A nine-minute archival look at the costumes of Funny Girl.

Deleted Scene: A three-and-a-half-minute unused scene between Fanny and Nicky discussing their marriage.

Final Thoughts

Funny Girl introduced the world at large to Barbra Streisand, and it has to go down as one of the most impressive debuts committed to film. Her portrayal of Fanny Brice is in a league of its own, so much so that we somewhat resent the movie when it splits our time with Fanny in the latter half of the story. We think the movie is great, yet we do get a bit frustrated with some of the narrative developments. No matter what, Streisand keeps you hooked with her flawless singing voice and indomitable spirit. This is a performance for the ages. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a peerless A/V presentation and some top-notch special features. If you are a fan, the film has been treated with the proper respect. Highly Recommended

The Criterion Collection edition of Funny Girl will be available to purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray on November 19, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.