Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A greeting that is both a joke and an act of defiance: Fanny, told all her life she is not a beauty, says it to her own reflection with a grin and takes the compliment before anyone else can refuse it. The line made Streisand a star on her first frame and has since become a go-to for mirror selfies, drag acts and any entrance by a diva who knows her worth.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Funny GirlShow the scene
The first words Barbra Streisand speaks on screen, in her film debut. William Wyler's 1968 musical opens just after the First World War with Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice waiting at the theatre for her husband, the gambler Nicky Arnstein, to arrive. Alone, she catches her own reflection in a mirror and greets it with the line. The story then slides into a long flashback of her rise from stage-struck teenager in vaudeville to Broadway star, and her stormy marriage. Streisand had played Brice on Broadway and won the Best Actress Oscar, tied with Katharine Hepburn.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Funny GirlFanny Brice sectionReference checked
- Wikipedia: Funny Girl (film)Plot; leadReference checked
Context reviewed