tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post7577979862124151580..comments2024-03-26T05:01:57.793-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER 1970Ken Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-70067891489185620052023-09-19T15:07:37.204-07:002023-09-19T15:07:37.204-07:00Thank you! Its hard for me to re-read some of my ...Thank you! Its hard for me to re-read some of my older posts without wanting to rewrite them entirely, but I I'm so glad you enjoyed this look at my favorite of all of Streisand's musicals. As you say, the film has its issues, but Streisand is bliss Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-68910493408073387622023-09-19T04:20:32.389-07:002023-09-19T04:20:32.389-07:00This post is absolutely splendid. Your comments ab...This post is absolutely splendid. Your comments about Daisy being the only one anyone finds humorous are spot on. While the film is lacking, her performance is sublime. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-71473749828014240902023-07-30T16:36:56.331-07:002023-07-30T16:36:56.331-07:00Hi Nequam-
Ha! I love the wording of your question...Hi Nequam-<br />Ha! I love the wording of your question and the keen observation behind it, as it’s something I’ve often wondered about Simon Oakland's filmography, myself.<br /><br /> I can’t recall who it was, but a movie critic in the ‘70s did indeed comment (unfavorably) on what they referred to as “The Simon Oakland role.” It was after the film BULLITT (1968) seemed to propel the character actor into a stream of film and TV roles in which he played the by-the-numbers police captain or lawyer the rebel hero always butted heads against. The complaint lodged was that so many of Oakland’s characters seemed to be little more than exposition facilitators. <br />Why Oakland was to go-to guy for these roles remains a mystery.<br />Thank you very much for reading this post and contributing to the comments section.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-75748108055319700702023-07-30T11:17:01.782-07:002023-07-30T11:17:01.782-07:00"Meanwhile, too much screen time is allocated..."Meanwhile, too much screen time is allocated to a wholly expository character like Chabot's colleague, Dr. Fuller (Simon Oakland), who exists solely to provide Montand's character an opportunity to engage in a windy reincarnation debate."<br /><br />Really, really late to the party here, but... is this just something people liked to do with Simon Oakland? That's the entirety of his role in Psycho!Nequamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10829037166873574240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-85448834042140025772021-02-22T04:18:14.171-08:002021-02-22T04:18:14.171-08:00Hello David!
I’m always happy when someone revisit...Hello David!<br />I’m always happy when someone revisits (I’m assuming it wasn’t your first time) “On a Clear Day”! <br /><br />I thoroughly know what you mean in questioning Paramount’s acquisition of a musical that really didn’t work on Broadway and not thinking about how to make it work on screen. Especially as a popular entertainment on scale with the popular musical blockbusters of the day….The Sound of Music (which NEVER seemed to leave theaters throughout the entirety of my childhood). <br /><br />I think Minnelli perhaps envisioned a great romantic film along the lines of MY FAIR LADY wherein Higgins and Eliza don’t really get together either, spending the entire time ignoring their feelings for one another. But that was based on a well-structured play with an easy-to-identify-with central desire and conflict. As much as I love ON A CLEAR DAY, I don’t know if the idea of it ever works when Daisy Gamble (as personified by Streisand) is just as mesmerizing to the audience as Melinda. <br />And while I love that you have no problem with Yves Montand—I dislike him so much that your feelings strike me as almost saintly and very true to your kind nature—he still seems as much of an ill fit for Daisy as Warren. Also, for me, he’s so sexless, and Streisand is so…if not exactly sexy, she radiates an authentic sensuality.<br /><br />That’s an interesting question you pose about Barbra and that princess moment that is the "Love with All the Trimmings" scene. You’re right, perhaps that is how Streisand, even in her most humble period, always saw herself, or maybe it was just a dream to wish she aspired. But I would love to have had a journalist ask what it felt like seeing herself larger-than-life on the big screen, looking like a classic movie goddess. We certainly know such underdog triumphs fueled her appeal as a gay icon and patron saint of the late-blooming outsider.<br /><br /><br />Reiterated in so many comments here, yours included, is an appreciation for the music (thanks for citing Nelson Riddle's orchestrations and arrangements), the sumptuous look of the film, and the appeal—physical and vocal—of Streisand. Like today’s cinema of spectacle where action-filled CGI set pieces mitigate vacant storylines, ON A CLEAR DAY seems to be a movie people are capable of enjoying as sensation. It touches our spirits so engagingly, we forgive it for not entirely moving our hearts.<br /><br />Lastly, your closing comments characterizing ON A CLEAR DAY as a "chamber musical" is the stuff of pre-production story meetings that I wish had happened. The inner monologue concept seems ideal for the intimacy of the stage, but a big, roadshow musical cries out for more than just static visual splendor. It needs a couple of extroverted show-stoppers.<br />And to compare the Broadway score with the film, it’s clear that all the songs that weren’t internal monologues were excised for the film. A valid decision, one explaining the loss of Nicholson’s solo and the rooftop number “wait till we’re sixty-five,” but robs the film of a certain liveliness that would have given it wider appeal.<br /><br />Thank you, David. Your even-handed appraisal of ON A CLEAR DAY is supported by a writer’s instinct for story and a film buff’s eye for detail: I never took note of that final shot of Chabot walking out onto the balcony into the sunshine. I love that!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-47089241651506296712021-02-18T13:58:31.726-08:002021-02-18T13:58:31.726-08:00Dear Ken: Hello!
I just watched "On a Clear ...Dear Ken: Hello!<br /><br />I just watched "On a Clear Day" again the other night. I will try to share some thoughts that I hope are not redundant with the many excellent comments above!<br /><br />First--what was Paramount thinking when they greenlit this movie?? Doing a film version of a Broadway musical that did not succeed, and pumping millions of dollars into it. . .<br /><br />It's true the movie is lavish, stylishly directed, the score is of high quality (each and every number is excellent), the script is intriguing and witty, Streisand is phenomenal, etc. etc. But taking all the plusses into account, the movie clearly is so offbeat and of such specialized appeal that there is no way it ever would have been a popular blockbuster. I guess studios in the late 1960s were grasping at ANYTHING they thought might be the next "Sound of Music."<br /><br />Like you and everyone else here, I just love Streisand in this movie. Her singing is peerless, her comedy playing spot-on. And her amazing versatility has never been shown to better advantage. One thought that struck me as I watched this time was, in the "Love with All the Trimmings" scene: I wonder if Streisand as a little girl, growing up as the "neighborhood oddball" in Brooklyn, ever dreamed that someday she would be the star of a multi-million dollar musical, dressed in a fabulously expensive period gown and jewels, photographed to perfection, and erotically kissing a leading man with the looks of a blond god? Well. . .maybe Streisand DID imagine such a thing happening. But for anyone else--what an impossible fantasy come true!<br /><br />Like very few others above, I think Montand has his good points. For one thing, I think he is quite believable as a psychiatrist and college professor. And for another, I find his singing quite wonderful. His resonant baritone makes the beautiful song "Melinda" glow. (Of course, Nelson Riddle's orchestration also helps quite a bit. I watched the movie with headphones this time around and noticed that throughout, Riddle's arrangements are absolutely wonderful.)<br /><br />I agree with you that the movie seems disconnected and unsatisfying as a whole. I decided that it is best approached as a "chamber musical." The movie really is about Melinda's therapy and her journey to self-acceptance, which is in many ways an internal process. So it makes sense that much of the film takes place in one location/set (Dr. Chabot's office), and the songs--though wonderful--are mostly internal monologues rather than extroverted show-stoppers. And as Chabot notes to Daisy at the end, he too has been changed for the better by her therapeutic journey. There is a lovely moment where, as Streisand sings the title song and exits Chabot's office for the last time, Chabot also steps out of his office into the sunshine outdoors.<br />Dave Kucharskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780946474352916520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-13026459789981912492018-07-31T15:56:29.509-07:002018-07-31T15:56:29.509-07:00I don't know why Barbra and Paramount don'...I don't know why Barbra and Paramount don't make a sequel of On a clear day... with all deleted scenes in a new story with Daisy having some strange dreams and search help with the son of Dr. Chabot and with new songs, the deleted ones we have On a Clear Day Again a new musical film with Barbra. Maybe it's a crazy idea but a way to restore all the deleted scenes and in 2020 the movie celebrates 50 years so, I don't know but maybe it's a good idea.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02016057180990989288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-58971703889115293852018-02-28T09:26:00.274-08:002018-02-28T09:26:00.274-08:00This film has only ever been released in its 2 hou...This film has only ever been released in its 2 hour, 9-minute version. Originally conceived as a much longer film - a roadshow attraction - the Amazon complainer must be speaking of when (way back in 1970) Paramount cut nearly an hour of its running time before releasing it to theaters. Much if not all of that footage is considered lost and only preview audiences back in the day ever got a chance to see the full, uncut version of this film.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-24145969026124221842018-02-28T08:48:22.556-08:002018-02-28T08:48:22.556-08:00Hey... what is the actual running time of this mov...Hey... what is the actual running time of this movie ? Someone on Amazon complained about lots of cuts, making the movie from 3 hours+ become the 2:09:00 length... so is the 2h9m the time it has ever been ?alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17412995677307975047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-73229295435642973022015-08-01T14:06:43.971-07:002015-08-01T14:06:43.971-07:00Sorry for all the typos in my previous post. I wa...Sorry for all the typos in my previous post. I was a) typing on my phone, b) typing without my reading glasses and c) typing before I had my first cup of coffee this morning! I'll be more literate in future comments!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11553379265410073042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-81700321899731358802015-08-01T12:25:50.376-07:002015-08-01T12:25:50.376-07:00Roberta
Of the great many kind comments I receive ...Roberta<br />Of the great many kind comments I receive on this site (and I've been lucky in attracting what I think are a particularly nice cross section of film devotees), I must say yours ranks among the nicest. Thank you for such a lovely compliment!<br /><br />Your words hearten me because one of the reasons I even started a film blog was because i grew impatient with the timbre or "criticism" I was reading. <br />Not only were people stating emphatically that certain movies were either "Good" or (a favorite) "The worst movie ever made" without expounding upon such opinions - and that's what they forget them to be, just opinions, not fact - but any voice of dissent was met with vitriolic verbal abuse. Or worse, the claim that if you didn't share the reviewer's opinion, you were a neanderthal moth breather incapable of grasping the philosophical subtleties of the Fast & Furious franchise.<br />Thus, I really appreciate hearing that in some small way, my blog communicates my own philosophy which you articulate beautifully: "The true by-product of film is the shared experience and varying reactioñ we all have as an audience."<br />Your comment made my day!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-7268973223895956802015-08-01T07:45:29.200-07:002015-08-01T07:45:29.200-07:00Ken, asci explore this blog a few things are becom...Ken, asci explore this blog a few things are becoming apparent to me. First, you have exquisite taste. No matter what genre of film, the movies you select (good or bad), your reviews always highlight something transcendent, whether it was intentional or unintentional on the part of the filmmaker. Your reviews are also beautifully written. You have to do a book!<br /><br />Secondly, when I read you comments, I am struck by your enormous generosity of spirit. Even if a commentator expresses an opinion that differs from yours, your thoughtful, graceful and respectful replies remind all of us that the true by-product of film is the shared experience and varying reactioñ we all have as an audience. <br /><br />It is an absolute pleasure to get to know you through reading your posts. Your partner, family and friends are lucky people indeed!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11553379265410073042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-38062302134933298042015-07-31T15:10:38.623-07:002015-07-31T15:10:38.623-07:00Hello Roberta
I'm so glad you happened upon th...Hello Roberta<br />I'm so glad you happened upon this site, and that you've enjoyed going over a few older posts.<br />I must say your fairly tale association with this film is quite touching and very amazing! What a wonderful memory to share with us!<br /><br />When I think of some of the lazy, even cynical kinds of movies studios pour their money into today (Adam Sandler comes to mind), I always wish that more filmmakers knew or remembered that movies have the power to be what "On a Clear Day" was for you.<br />They don't have to be perfect or even good movies, but they need to have something that takes us beyond what and where we are. They need to have people behind them who care.<br /><br />If anybody ever writes a collection of anecdotes in which people relate what movies seemed to stick with them their entire lives, (maybe I should!), what you shared here is a perfect template.<br />Thank you so much, and congrats for blossoming and finding your own Dr. Chabot!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-32853247294525231532015-07-30T19:31:17.849-07:002015-07-30T19:31:17.849-07:00Ken, really enjoying poking around your blog....so...Ken, really enjoying poking around your blog....so glad I discovered it. My husband keeps asking me what I am reading and laughing about, but it's too hard to pry myself away to explain it to him. I saw this movie when I was 10 in a movie theatre in Pittsburgh. I fell in love with Barbra on the spot (I had not yet seen Funny Girl so this was my introduction). I loved how she looked, how she talked, how she dressed, how she sang -- oh how she sang! The title song and What Did I Have became cornerstones in my reportoire of interior show tunes that ran through my head during my teen years. The Come Back to Me sequence was a thrill to this little girl; the New York scenery, the clever lyrics and the idea of a man wanting a woman enough to sing to her! <br /><br />As I grew into my (very) awkward teens, this movie came to represent so much more to me. Somehow I saw it as a touchstone of hope, that one day my awkwardness and plainness would one day be appreciated by someone who would love me enough to sing to me from on top of the PanAm building!<br /><br />I guess Barbra affected a lot of girls/boys that way. Anyway, for years, whenever I felt low, drab and that nothing would ever "happen" for me, I would sing On A Clear Day to myself (sounding like Barbra of course!)<br /><br />Well that clear day finally came, and like Daisy's flowers I blossomed. Amazingly enough I left Pittsburgh and got a job in NYC! And I met the man who still sings to (and about) me! We both worked for a large insurance firm that bought the PanAm building and we even got a chance to visit the top floor (weren't allowed to go to the roof). So my OACD fantasy actually came true!<br /><br />That's why I love this movie so much. It's flawed to be sure, but Barbra, the music, the costumes and that glorious cinematography created a fairy tale that still enchants. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11553379265410073042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-12850805777181609362014-07-12T01:08:42.446-07:002014-07-12T01:08:42.446-07:00Hi Robert
What a nice comment! And also, such a th...Hi Robert<br />What a nice comment! And also, such a thrill to imagine you saw this in New York when it opened. That "Come Back to Me" number must have looked like a NY picture postcard valentine to the city.<br />I understand why, as a Streisand fan, you find the film disappointing. Happily she sings like a dream in it.<br />I look forward to hearing from you again. Thanks!. Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-301299481868420682014-07-11T21:49:17.630-07:002014-07-11T21:49:17.630-07:00WOW. I just stumbled on your site while looking fo...WOW. I just stumbled on your site while looking for pictures of the "zig zag" outfit to post on Pinterest. What a great and thoughtful review you gave this film. I'm old enough to say I saw it on opening day in New York City. I couldn't agree more with your assessment especially of the non performance of Montand. Barbra was in great form and voice in this film which makes it such a major disappointment for me (I'm a super fan of hers) even after all these years. Thanks again and now I'll read you faithfully.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-63551399640686042542014-05-22T18:48:25.197-07:002014-05-22T18:48:25.197-07:00You make a good, very valid point. No matter how t...You make a good, very valid point. No matter how talented a star, the public tends to take them to task after a while, even when are they are producing relatively consistent work. I definitely like her work here more than in "Hello Dolly!"<br /> I remember the brief Meryl Streep backlash in the mid 80s when she was criticized for her use of accents and (surprisingly) for being too technically proficient. <br />I like that "On a Clear Day" is one of your favorites, as it at least gives Streisand a chance to be a clotheshorse in both contemporary and period clothes for a change. But I especially love that you saw this G-rated movie with the R-rated "Owl and the Pussycat"...with your father yet! That's an enviable double bill. <br />Thank you very much for commenting!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-43006853307202915322014-05-22T18:17:16.284-07:002014-05-22T18:17:16.284-07:00I always wondered what response audiences would ha...I always wondered what response audiences would have had to Streisand had Clear Day been her debut movie instead of Funny Girl. I am one of those Streisand fans who feels her performance in Clear Day was light years better than Funny Girl and Hello, Dolly. I saw Clear Day as a double feature with Owl and Pussycat, both in Nov. 1970, with my father!!!!!! I was 15. Oy vey.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08954030090464427825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-19278064161084547582014-04-02T21:17:48.335-07:002014-04-02T21:17:48.335-07:00Yes, John Richardson is such a stunner one is alwa...Yes, John Richardson is such a stunner one is always left wishing there were more of him in the film (a great deal easier on the eyes than any other male in the cast, although thin-haired Jack Nicholson is kind of cute). Various production stills found on the internet suggest there was at least one more scene or an extended one. <br />For such a major production, precious little has been written about it. Have no idea if he was under contract to Paramount at the time, but he certainly had the requisite looks for stardom, if not the talent. Till alive, internet sources say he retired to become a photographer. <br />Glad to hear this is a favorite film. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting!<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-9477316150138838042014-04-02T17:52:29.071-07:002014-04-02T17:52:29.071-07:00Well, I was born the year this movie was released ...Well, I was born the year this movie was released and although I'm not an expert at the specifics of this film, I do love it. Barbra is amazing and glows in her entire performance. It's not the knock your socks off with the story line but I think deserves more credit than it has received. I am however, disappointed there are only a few brief scenes with John Richardson. I also bought the DVD and disappointed there were not any additional footage about the movie. What ever did happened to John Richardson? It seems he has disappeared from acting since the 90's. My question is how was he selected for his character Robert Tentrees? I can't find any archived footage about him regarding this film.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-69954726376692861292014-03-13T06:16:02.677-07:002014-03-13T06:16:02.677-07:00Hi Randall, and thanks for visiting the site!
Mayb...Hi Randall, and thanks for visiting the site!<br />Maybe one of these days (before I'm dead) someone with the resources and time will see about trying to restore the roadshow version of this. As you point out, the Streisand element alone should be enough, but it IS one of Minnelli's last efforts. We can dream I suppose.<br />Oh, by the way, I've haven't seen many Montand films ... maybe light comedy just isn't his forte? Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-34331756698035133382014-03-13T06:11:42.339-07:002014-03-13T06:11:42.339-07:00Hi Anonymous
This is a REALLY late reply to your c...Hi Anonymous<br />This is a REALLY late reply to your comment, but I don't think I'm getting notified of all the comments from older posts. In any event, thanks for the amusing and informative info on the film and the whole chemistry issue. <br />You certainly make a persuasive case for your point of view, which is what is great about the arts... there are always so many things one can extract from a film, resulting in two different people seeing entirely different things, yet both having sound reasons for the impression they're left with. Thank you for the follow up!, Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-4906498895424374852014-03-12T18:02:46.773-07:002014-03-12T18:02:46.773-07:00Montand was wonderful in other roles, but an absol...Montand was wonderful in other roles, but an absolute dud here. He can barely speak English, and Daisy's fascination with him remains unexplained. A restoration of the planned roadshow version would greatly rehabilitate the reputation of this film, which was, after all, the final Vincente Minnelli musical and one of the relatively few musicals Streisand ever did.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00812914389967138598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-19579915768327497922014-01-11T19:05:47.704-08:002014-01-11T19:05:47.704-08:00Anonymous here (from Apr 8, 2012 - I still can'...Anonymous here (from Apr 8, 2012 - I still can't figure this out) -- I just caught up with the Montand/lack of chemistry comment. Keep in mind that Dr. Chabot is a psychiatrist, and as typical as it is to want to 'murder' your psychiatrist is the tendency to 'fall in love' with him (or her). Although Daisy doesn't go to Marc for psychoanalysis per se, she does go to him for help with a personal problem. And it took me I-don't-know-how-long to realize that by "Come Back to Me" Daisy has internalized her therapist's voice, so Marc is actually 'speaking' to Daisy's subconscious -- his voice is echoing in her head and coming out of the mouths of strangers. It can be argued it's her fantasy of him, not him in actuality, and her version of his voice would have an extra-plummy accent. (I once dreamed of my therapist as Ingrid Bergman -- it was a close I my movie addled brain could get to her accent) When Daisy screams "Will you stop bothering me!?" it's a textbook example of a therapy patient resisting growth until (not unlike a plant) he/she finally blossoms.<br /><br />Whew. What a long way of saying the lack of chemistry is no impediment to a patient falling for a shrink -- it's all projection. There's an interesting book called "We Danced All Night" by Doris Shapiro who was Alan Jay Lerner's production secretary when OACD was originally produced on Bway which has some background on Lerner's psychoanalysis (and his patronage of Dr Feelgood, who famously gave "vitamin B12" shots that were really amphetamine boosts) as well as info on scenes and character detail on Mark Bruckner (turned into Chabot for the film) that were dropped from the script to keep it a manageable length. There's also a chapter about OACD in "Blue Skies and Silver Linings" by Bruce Babington, a critical cinema analysis of ten specific film musicals including Golddiggers of 1933, Swing Time, and Carousel. Yes, a serious critical study of OACD, in very august company.<br /><br />Obsessed by OACD? Me? Well, like I always say, "They're geraniums. Any minute now."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40257519414891314822013-06-10T12:16:58.188-07:002013-06-10T12:16:58.188-07:00You comment is a great example of what I enjoy abo...You comment is a great example of what I enjoy about the comments section of blogging. While it's always nice to be complimented and agreed with (and the people who read my posts are generally so polite that they often only comment when they have something nice to say), I do find it illuminating to read a different point of view. <br />I really am not fond of Montand in this film, that's pretty clear. But I love your take on him and his performance, and it is indeed the first time I believe I've ever heard ANYONE say anything good about him in context with this film, so even though I don’t agree, I found it fascinating and enlightening.<br />.<br />Better still, you make an interesting point: narratively-speaking, Daisy and Chabot ARE supposed to be an ill-fit, so the lack of chemistry between Streisand and Montand actually works for you in the context of the story. I love that! I think such an observation is the cornerstone to how subjective the filmgoing experience is and how something that doesn’t work for me can actually be something that enriches the film for someone else.<br /><br />I do so love the "Come Back to Me" sequence too, and your enthusiastic praise of Montand's interpretation (exaggerated Gallic charm)is almost enough (almost) to make me reconsider his rendition of this great song.<br /><br />Thanks very much for sharing your refreshingly pro-Yves Montand opinion. I enjoyed reading it very much!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.com