There has never been another Hollywood debut quite like Barbra Streisand's in FUNNY GIRL, and there probably never will be. Everyone knew she could sing beautifully, but this film proved that she was an actress, and a great one! Streisand proves that she is a true star, she is hilarious in the film's uproarious opening and she's absolutely heart-breaking in the dramitic end. She picked up a well-deserved Oscar for her work here.The rest of the cast is also good (Omar Sharif is especially suave in the role of Nicky Arnstein), the production values are high, the music is great, the direction is lively, and the story is touching.But above all else, it is Streisand's versatile and extremely likeable performance that holds the whole film together. Watch to laugh, watch to cry, watch to be entertained. A classic.