Product Description

Too many kooks spoil the comedy soup? Not when BARBRA STREISAND and RYAN O'NEAL lead a madcap cast (including screen-debuting MADELINE KAHN) on a zany quest that's like a classic screwball comedy - only screwier!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2430 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2003-07-01
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 94 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Director Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show) tipped his hat to the classic screwball comedies of the 1930s, and especially the most glorious of them all, Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby. Barbra Streisand plays a charming flake who distracts a self-absorbed musicologist (Ryan O'Neal). He's engaged to be married, but soon Streisand's character has him chasing after stolen jewelry and getting into one madcap fix after another. Bogdanovich, who is also a film critic, understands the engine of the screwball genre, and his loving revival of the form brings a smile, though it is not quite consistently inspired or funny. There are plenty of great moments, however, including a slap at O'Neal's own star-making vehicle, Love Story. --Tom Keogh

DVD features
The DVD has only 12 minutes of star Barbra Streisand commenting, and most of that is her telling us how much she enjoyed her time, and trying to remember what happened next on screen. But as she states, it's really director Peter Bogdanovich's place to comment on this film. His full-length commentary showcases his low-key charm as he spins stories about the creation of the film including run-ins with Cary Grant and director Howard Hawks (who both knew a thing or two about screwball comedies). Bogdanovich has as many good anecdotes as comments about what gags in the film got a "big laugh." This film looks marvelous in its first widescreen home video presentation and also contains the original, cutely produced, featurette. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Great movie, but why the cut???
I've been scratching me head over this: In the final scene of the movie where Ryan O'Neal and Barbra Streisand are on the plane, a noticeable cut has been made in this DVD version.

In the scene, O'Neal apologizes to Streisand to which Streisand replies: "Let me tell ya, love is never having to say you're sorry" (a funny play from O'Neal's film "Love Story") then bats her eyes at O'Neal. In the original cut of the film, the camera then cuts to O'Neal who has a hilarious, stupified look on his face. The camera goes back to Streisand, who has even more hilarious slightly "special" look on her face, then back to O'Neal who replies, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

In this version, the back and forth cuts between O'Neal and Streisand have been cut. It goes from Streisand line/eye batting to O'Neal saying "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." The cut makes the exchange not as funny, which is why I'm dumbfounded by the decision.

I thought maybe I was losing my mind and remembered the original film differently, but in the commentary by Streisand (which, by the way, was a complete and utter waste with no insight or entertainment value. Talk about phoning it in) the scene is replayed...IN IT'S ORIGINAL UNCUT FORM. In Bogdanovich's commentary, the same scene is shown in the cut version with no explaination for the change. It's too bad, it's one of the funniest exchanges in the film.

Movies
This is a great movie! Anyone who doesn't have it shold buy it. It is hillarious.

Not charmed
There is clearly a market for this type of screwball comedy it just doesn't do anything for me. Nothing is supposed to be believable and I frankly thought that O'Neal was horrible. I do like that they address that ridicuous line from Love Story though. I'm usually a Barbra Streisand fan, but I feel this was totally beneath her. I'm sure this type of comedy appeals to other and really you're just going to have a take a chance and see if this tickles your fancy. I still love Barbra.