Streisand is also perfect in the role of Esther. Her influence over the film’s music and look is felt throughout the entire movie. She also does an excellent job overcoming Judy Garland’s shadow from the 1954 version of the story. Streisand fans will want to add this film to their collections.
I agree that Barbra's influence over the film's music and look is without a doubt ALL Barbra and I agree that Streisand fans will want to add this to their library.
The only problem I have with your review is that anyone could fathom the thought that Barbra's characterization of Esther Hoffman is in any way, shape or form in the same league as Judy Garland's Esther Blodgett's performance in the 1954 version of A Star is Born. In my eyes, they don't even compare - so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
Listen, Judy named Barbra to be one of her favorite singers many times in various interviews and I respect Barbra's talent to the 'nth degree, but I'll never understand her even trying to remake a Garland movie - even if it was supposed to have been an 'updated' version.
For what it's worth and much to my satisfaction, I don't recall one review 'of the day' when the movie was first released that said Barbra's performance had outshone Judy's. I would like to think that they need not be in competition, but rather they were two different stories, two separate movies, two different eras, two different divas.
I didn't mean to imply that she does a better job than Garland. Just that her performance was good enough to step out of that shadow and make the character her own.
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