Barbra Streisand In “On a Clear Day” & “All Night Long” Released on Blu Ray.

May 25, 2020 Kevin M. Thomas 4 min read

Barbra Streisand fans are looking forward to May 26 as two of her overlooked films are released on blu-ray for the first time.

“On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” and “All Night Long” are two of Streisand’s lowest performers at the box office. Still both movies are definitely worth a look as some of the behind the scenes stories are as interesting as the movies’ plots.

“On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” is based on the Tony Awards nominated Broadway musical of 1965 and the film had been transformed more into a showcase for Streisand’s talents.

It’s the story of Daisy Gamble, a chain-smoking New Yorker who we learn while she’s under hypnosis that she is a reincarnation of Melinda, a Victoria-era woman with special powers.

This movie had everything to be a giant hit. It was directed by Oscar winner Vincente Minnelli, who has a great eye for staging musicals. The costumes by Cecil Beaton and songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane also are at the top of their game.

Yet although this is the only Streisand film with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience didn’t take much notice. With a budget of $10 million, the film only grossed $14 million. Further, it didn’t receive any Academy Award nominations. Musicals often end up in the score or sound categories, but none for this picture. It definitely should have received a Best Costume nomination for Beaton’s great contemporary and especially period pieces. Even a costume from a cut scene was worn by Streisand when she won her Oscar for “Funny Girl” and it’s STILL being talked about. The original song “Love Among the Trimmings” also should have made the cut as it’s from the movie’s most memorable scenes.

Streisand fans likely wouldn’t protest over her not being nominated for this film as she was also in the worthy “The Owl and the Pussycat,” which should have received her a nomination. But still, not even any Golden Globes nominations, who usually love Streisand.

Then there’s “All Night Long.” The behind the scenes story got more press then the release of the movie. The movie seems to have been dumped into theatres with few commercials and the smallest ads in newspapers. This put a nail in the movie’s box office coffin. With a $15 million budget, the movie made just under $4.5 million. Streisand herself was paid $4 million.

This is one of the few Streisand movies that she not only isn’t the star but doesn’t have top billing. The interesting behind the scenes story has Streisand stepping in at the last minute to replace an actress who wasn’t working out.

She did this, it’s rumored, as a favor for her manager Sue Mengers, whose husband was directing the film. The story after the failure of this movie became an anecdote in the Broadway play “I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers” starring Bette Midler. After the release of the movie, Streisand severed her relationship with Mengers.

Aside from all of that, when the movie was released, it received mixed reviews from critics. Gene Hackman though was nominated from a critics association’s award for Best Actor in his role as an executive who gets downgraded at work to night manager at a drug store after a mid-life crisis.

Streisand’s character is having an affair with Hackman and his son (Dennis Quaid). Her reviews were on both ends of the spectrum. Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone and Pauline Kael of the New Yorker praised her work while she ended up a nominee for Worst Supporting Actress from the Golden Raspberry Awards (who seem to not be fans of her work in most anything she does).

Both movies will delight Streisand fans and perhaps uncover some new ones when the blu-ray releases come out. None of the details on websites seem to share if there are any extras – which likely means no. While seeing vibrant new prints of both films will be great, a few extras would be most welcome from fans.

“On a Clear Day” could benefit if it included the roadshow version – a longer more comprehensive telling of the story that was scheduled to occur until it failed at the box office. This would include more scenes and cut numbers and even elevate Oscar winner Jack Nicholson’s role from the cameo that it is in the film’s present form.