rdvinct Reviews

The Belle of 14th Street (1967 TV Special)

Barbra's third special was her most original without a doubt!

[30 November 2005]

Barbra's 3rd television special was trying to be something totally different than her first two. It succeeded. I think the choices of material could have been better in certain parts of the special, that's all. The best part was at the end, when Barbra, as The Belle Of 14th street,sang for us several songs. I thought the Madame McCree number in the 2nd act, using Barbra as both Madame McCree and the little boy in the audience was quite good. I also liked the way the special opened, with the use of animation with Barbra singing the song, "I don't care". I applaud "The Belle Of Fourteenth Street" for being original and different, and for not trying to repeat the exact same formula as Barbra's first 2 specials. For that alone, it was refreshing. On a scale of 1-10,(10 being the best), I give "The Belle Of Fourteenth Street" a 7.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Can someone please explain something to me who's seen this movie?!

[30 August 2004]

At the end of this movie, there are suddenly 2 Regeans. Okay. This is what I don't get: how did this second one come about? Because if it was just a "ghost"...then how can you tear the heart out of a ghost? Did the demon, I suppose, find a body to posess and make it look like Reagan, and then cause it to appear at the old house where the first movie happened, where Reagan and Father Lamont were headed? I mean.....there was an actual physical body,(after her heart was torn out),that toppled and fell down the stairs, so...............????????? Can someone please explain this to me who's seen this movie? Thank you! rdvinct

The Owl and the Pussycat (1970)

A hoot of a comedy!

[27 March 2003]

The Owl And The Pussycat is a fine example of great comic pairing. Barbra and George Segal work very well together. Very well indeed. It is a loud comedy though, not a slapstick one. So if you're looking for slapstick, watch What's Up,Doc? or For Pete's Sake. If you are looking for a comedy that is a more heartfelt, with more depth to the charatcers and emotion, then The Owl And The Pussycat is for you. I say it is a loud comedy mostly because of Barbra's character Doris. Doris can be pretty loud. But what's funny about it is that half the time she doesn't even mean to be; it's just her nature. This "nature", took George Segal's character Felix quite by surprise,

and it is very amusing to see him try to adjust to it. What's so interesting to watch is that although Doris shows herself in the beginning to be loud, self-assertive and bold, she later shows herself to be vulnerable and sweet. Where as George Segal's character Felix, showing himself to have a nose up in the air, "I'm too intellectual for you" attitude in the beginning, later shows that although he wants success in his life, not at the expense of pretense. With himself, or what he genuinely wants. I say pretense because Felix's thinking was that he would marry an "intellectual" such as he thought himself to be, and live this "proper" life. Doris, although loud, and believes she is a legend in her own mind, is genuine and real. Felix is very much attracted to her for this reason. It's a quality that she has that he sees that he wants to be more like himself. But what is so amusing is that Doris feels that after meeting and getting to know Felix, that she needs to become more like him! More "intellectual". What's truly so charming about this movie is how it shows the facades that we can portray and the masks that we can wear are truly just that; facades and masks. How no matter how confident we can "look" on the outside, how smart we may "appear", that it can be a totally different story once you start actually getting to know someone. What's most charming of all,(actually wonderful),is that by the film's end they both decide to drop these facades, take off the masks, and "start fresh". But...all along from the beginning of this movie til it's end, until they get to this level, it can be quite hysterical. A great comedy with heart. Enjoy it.

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

A wonderful film!

[24 March 2003]

The Mirror Has Two Faces is one of Barbra's finest works. In this movie you have two people,(Barbra and Jeff Bridges),who are both weary and skeptical about "true" love, but both have different outlooks on it. Barbra is optimistic and hopeful, while Jeff Bridges feels that the only way to make a relationship last is to completely take the sex out of it and have a loving friendship only,(one based strictly on companionship). The movie explores both of the main characters inner fears and inner struggles in a way that, not unless you're not human, you can certainly relate with. For instance: In reality, Barbra's character felt inwardly about herself that she wasn't good enough....wasn't attractive enough. She liked the idea of marrying Jeff Bridges character under the premise of strictly a loving companionship only because her character feels...well, my goodness! Here's a really handsome man that really likes me and likes being with me. He wants to take sex out of the equation, but...that's okay. It's NOT what I really want, but I'll "SETTLE". On the other hand, Jeff Bridges character, Gregory, feels that with all his failed relationships of the past, that if he takes sex out of the picture, that maybe, just maybe, it'll last. He wants a true, loving, one on one relationship with another woman but he really doesn't want to have it be without physical love either. But...out of fear that it wont last, he decides that he's got to take the physical part out of it, even though deep down inside, he doesn't really want that. So...he "SETTLES" as well. In reality, they have both truly fallen in love with each other, but both are trying to abide by what they both agreed to; a loving friendship only, with absolutely no physical love. This creates many, many tense situations between them that end up creating very funny scenes and lines. Theres a scene right after they get married and the two of them are in their home, all done for the day unpacking and getting settled. Jeff Bridge's character says to Barbra's..."So! What do you want to do now?" Barbra, innocently meaning to suggest they both go to sleep, shrugs her shoulders and says..."Go to bed". Jeff's eyes get all nervous looking and he starts having difficulty breathing. Barbra's character replies..."No! I mean, to sleep, that is! One goes to bed...to sleep!" A little later on she is unloading all this frustration and tension to her sister Claire in a phone conversation. She says..."I don't know how to ask for it Claire!" Meaning sex. She continues to say..."Sometimes we're so "polite" to each other I feel like we're two roommates living in a charm school!" Her sister replies..."Just give him a "look" that makes him "know" you want sex!" Barbra's character then replies..."I tried that once. He thought I had something in my eye!" Yes indeed, there are many great moments in this film. In the end, what's great is that both of the characters understand that what they did was "settle", and "settling", especially with something as important as true love is never a good idea. But more importantly, they learn that in the end, anything truly worthwhile, sometimes you have to take risks for. Unless you are really that jaded, you can not leave this movie by it's end without feeling,(even if just a little),good! The supporting cast is great, including Lauren Bacall, Brenda Vacaro and George Segal. A wonderful film. Truly one of Barbra's finest.

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)

A truly fine, fine film.

[23 March 2003]

On A Clear day You can See Forever is truly a wonderful, feel good movie. Barbra Streisand's portrayl of Daisy Gamble is absolutely endearing. The character of Daisy is so sweet and child-like, and at the same time cooky and hysterically clumsy. In the very same movie she also portrays a sophisticated seductress of Brittish decent from the 19th century. Completely the opposite of her Daisy Gamble character. Daisy goes to see a doctor to help her quit smoking and while under hypnosis reveals the personality of Melinda, the Brittish seductress. Her doctor falls for Melinda, but is not in any way interested in Daisy in a romantic way. However, Daisy thinks the doctor is falling in love with her, and she certainly is falling in love with him. It is this plot, combined with the movies vivid color and great songs, as well as Barbra's wonderful dimmensions of acting in this film, and a terrific supporting cast, that make it such a treat to watch. By the end of the movie, you TRULY, REALLY "FEEL" Daisy's sense of feeling better about herself and loving herself for who she is. Although I have enjoyed Barbra's other musicals,(some more than others),this one is the only one that, I feel, truly leaves you with a sense of wonderment. On A Clear day You Can See Forever is an EXCELLENT, WONDERFUL movie. A visual and audial treat. Enjoy it.

Funny Girl (1968)

Funny Girl is so-so.

[20 March 2003]

Hey! Don't get me wrong. I am definitely a fan of Barbra's. But her big film debt is certainly not one of my favorites of hers. I think Barbra looked beautiful in it. I think she sang outstandingly and had scenes that were very funny indeed. However, there were a few things about Funny Girl that just urk the hell out of me. One of them being that I cannot stand Barbra's character being SO love sick and submissive! For instance: "Nick! I promise I'll never tie you down!" Oh pah-leeeeeze!!! Give me a break, will you! And to tell you the truth, to me, after Fanny and Nick get married, the film tends to get quite dull. If you want to see A REALLY entertaining musical of Barbra's,(or just a very entertaining movie in general),I highly recommend "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever". That movie was absolutely endearing! But as far as Funny Girl goes, like I said, she looked great, she sang great and she acted great, but, Oh brother!! That submissiveness that she portrayed to Nick and that love sickness really make you want to heave! And also, as I'd said, the movie really does tend to get quite dull after the two of them marry. Funny "LADY", however, is a far more entertaining movie and her character of Fanny got a lot tougher for her own good, which was good to see. One to ten, ten being the best and one being the least, I give Funny Girl a 5.

For Pete's Sake (1974)

A "light" wonderful little comedy.

[19 March 2003]

There are those that say about this film that it is ridiculous and very forgetable. However, this is what I have to say about For Pete's Sake. The two movies that Barbra made that preceeded this one were The Way We Were and Up The Sandbox. Up The Sandbox, although billed as a comedy, was actually more of a drama-slash-comedy. And I think most of us know that The Way We Were was not a comedy. Therefore, as Barbra has stated, she wanted to just do something light and comical for her next film project. I think then, that she succeeded beautifully. Another thing, too, is that if you are going to start COMPARING this movie with What's Up, Doc?, then I really don't think that's fair. For Pete's Sake and What's Up, Doc are two totally different comedies. It's like this: What's Up, Doc? had an excellent supporting cast and all of the movie's characters centered around the one plotline. This is not so of For Pete's Sake. For Pete's Sake focuses on the story's ONE major character and that one character's plight throughout the movie. The supporting cast of For Pete's Sake is decent, but they do not really have much to do with the story. In What's Up, Doc?, four of the characters had identical suitcases that got mixed up. Not only the owners of the suitcases wanted them back, but so did many of the other characters in the movie! And the film centered around the plight of ALL of the characters and what they had to do with the identical suitcases. In For Pete's Sake, again...the story is about the one character, NOT MANY OF THEM, and that ONE character's plight, and stayed focused on that. So...therefore, I think it worked beautifully as awonderful "light" comedy. I will say this though: I think that the part of the movie that is about when Barbra was dealing with her johns in the callgirl operation she entered into, could have been written to include a lot more plot twists. You know, a lot more "zaniness". But, hey! It is what it is. I did get a great laugh in that scene where one of the johns come over and he's pretending that he's a TV repairman. Barbra does not know this and is already nervous enough as it is. After she lets him in he pulls out a screwdriver, and her eyes pop wide open and she exclaims..."What's that!!?" He explains to her..."It's a screwdriver". She exclaims, puzzled as hell..."For what???!" Her facial expressions are great. Then, I got an even bigger laugh in the scene where Barbra, in order to escape from a police dog that was chasing her, decends down into an open manhole. The next scene shows her with her head slowly creeping out of the manhole and she's all disorientated, her eyes adjusting to the light. She sees two construction workers sitting eating their lunch and shouts..."Hey! Where are we?" They tell her..."Fourth Avenue and Douglas Street". She nods to them thanks and proceeds to start climbing out of the manhole. Now of course, all dirty and messy. Once she's out, she's stumbling and bumbling along and one of the construction workers looks to the other and says, not knowing of course why she came out of a manhole, says..."Boy...what some people wanna do to save a subway fare!" I really thought that was quite hysterical! Again...this movie succeeds exactly as what it was made to be; a "light" slapstick comedy. If you ever get the chance, try to see this movie on DVD. Not only is the color and the sharpness of the picture absolutely incredible, but you can get a wonderful director's commentary from Peter Yates. For Pete's Sake is a great "light" slapstick comedy.

The Prince of Tides (1991)

Not bad. But not Barbra at her best.

[17 March 2003]

I have been a fan of Barbra for years. Even though I am, I always like to view her movies as I would any other. As a movie. Not a "Barbra Streisand movie". So being that the case, this is what I have to say about "The Prince Of Tides": it is "alright". I really do hate to say it, but I just feel that her portrayl of Susan Lowenstein was pretty much lackluster. That is not to say that I do not feel that she didn't have some good scenes in this film, because she certainly did. But I am talking overall here. And "overall", I felt that she did not really "bring to life", or "develop" the character that she portrayed here, in this movie. I do feel though, that Nick Nolte DEFINITELY brought depth and dimmension to "his" character, and brought his character to life for sure.

In fact, I even feel that the woman who played his mother, Kate Nelligan and the woman who played his wife, Blythe Danner, did as well. Very much so. Even Barbra's son in the movie,(her son in real life),did an absolutely fine and wonderfully believable job portraying his character. But Barbra's character just didn't come to life for me like the others did. Also, the story itself was just a little too soap opera-ish; with the music being just a wee bit meladramatic at times. Would I say that this is a bad movie? Definitely not. Would I say it's worthwhile to see? Yes, I would. But would I say that it is a perfectly made excellent movie? No. That I wouldn't say. But again, worth seeing.

Up the Sandbox (1972)

One of Barbra's best

[7 March 2003]

This is One of Barbra's finest movies and, ironicly, did the poorest at the box office. After playing larger than life characters in her last 5 films, here Barbra plays a "normal", regular human being. A bored New York housewife who uses daydreams to escape from her unfullfulling life. There are many touching and heartfelt moments in this film, as well as very funny ones. It is a comedy/drama with depth and dimmensions. In one scene Barbra stands up to Fidel Castro with her views on womanhood and war.Yet, a little later the two have a hystericly funny scene where he reveals a "secret" to her. Barbra stands up to her domineering mother,unexpectedly, at her parents anniversary party, and...lets just say that someone ends up with something other than egg, on their face! The moments where Barbra is washing and lovingly taking care of her children, as well as the moments where she is in an abortion clinic pondering her thoughts, are heartfelt indeed. A wonderfully different and heartfelt, funny movie. I highly recommend it.