When I reviewed "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" I stated that its theme, the Roman legend of the Rape of the Sabine Women transferred to 1850s Oregon, sounded like the worst idea for a musical since Mel Brooks's "Springtime for Hitler". "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever", a musical about reincarnation and the use of hypnosis to reveal past lives, is probably its closest rival in the race for the special Oscar for "Weirdest Themed Musical".
A young American woman named Daisy Gamble consults Marc Chabot, an academic psychiatrist and hypnotist, to help her quit smoking. Under hypnosis, however, Daisy begins talking about her previous life as Lady Melinda Winifred Waine Tentrees, a 19th century British aristocrat. A curious love-triangle develops; Daisy falls in love with Marc, while he falls in love with her Melinda persona, who he thinks is far more interesting than Daisy herself. Daisy, in fact, already has a fiancé, the narrow-minded, stuffy and domineering Warren. She only tries to give up smoking because he disapproves of the habit; left to herself she would be happy to go on smoking five packs a day. A further complication arises when Marc's university colleagues demand that he give up his research into reincarnation, which they regard as a superstition unworthy of serious academic study.
I would agree with Marc on one thing; Melinda is a much more interesting character than Daisy, and a musical concentrating on her exploits in Regency England might have been a lot more fun than the film we actually have, the plot of which is confusing and difficult to follow. Daisy, when she is not in her Melinda persona, is rather dull, allowing herself to be either dominated by Warren or exploited by Marc, who sees her as his means of access to his beloved Melinda.
I doubt if Barbra Streisand will ever be my favourite actress, but even I cannot deny that she has a fine voice, and she puts it to good use here. I was, however, surprised to learn that Yves Montand began his career as a singer, graduating to acting later, because I was not greatly impressed by his singing here. Hollywood seemed to expect more from female actors than from male ones when it came to singing in musicals. Audrey Hepburn had a better singing voice than Rex Harrison, but when they starred together in "My Fair Lady" her voice was dubbed over while he was allowed to stroll through his numbers, reciting them rather than singing, and was unaccountably rewarded with an Oscar. Montand's performance here rather reminds me of Harrison's Professor Higgins, but with the difference that in Hepburn's Eliza Higgins came up against an adversary worthy of his steel. You couldn't really say that about Daisy. I was surprised to see Jack Nicholson, a major star in 1970, in a minor supporting role as Daisy's step-brother Tad.
The music is pleasant enough but there was little to inspire me with any great enthusiasm or desire to go out and buy the album of the soundtrack. One reviewer says "This is one of those musicals that rarely gets talked about". He or she sees that as a matter for regret, but from my point of view this is one of those musicals that rarely gets talked about, and for a good reason. 4/10.
A young American woman named Daisy Gamble consults Marc Chabot, an academic psychiatrist and hypnotist, to help her quit smoking. Under hypnosis, however, Daisy begins talking about her previous life as Lady Melinda Winifred Waine Tentrees, a 19th century British aristocrat. A curious love-triangle develops; Daisy falls in love with Marc, while he falls in love with her Melinda persona, who he thinks is far more interesting than Daisy herself. Daisy, in fact, already has a fiancé, the narrow-minded, stuffy and domineering Warren. She only tries to give up smoking because he disapproves of the habit; left to herself she would be happy to go on smoking five packs a day. A further complication arises when Marc's university colleagues demand that he give up his research into reincarnation, which they regard as a superstition unworthy of serious academic study.
I would agree with Marc on one thing; Melinda is a much more interesting character than Daisy, and a musical concentrating on her exploits in Regency England might have been a lot more fun than the film we actually have, the plot of which is confusing and difficult to follow. Daisy, when she is not in her Melinda persona, is rather dull, allowing herself to be either dominated by Warren or exploited by Marc, who sees her as his means of access to his beloved Melinda.
I doubt if Barbra Streisand will ever be my favourite actress, but even I cannot deny that she has a fine voice, and she puts it to good use here. I was, however, surprised to learn that Yves Montand began his career as a singer, graduating to acting later, because I was not greatly impressed by his singing here. Hollywood seemed to expect more from female actors than from male ones when it came to singing in musicals. Audrey Hepburn had a better singing voice than Rex Harrison, but when they starred together in "My Fair Lady" her voice was dubbed over while he was allowed to stroll through his numbers, reciting them rather than singing, and was unaccountably rewarded with an Oscar. Montand's performance here rather reminds me of Harrison's Professor Higgins, but with the difference that in Hepburn's Eliza Higgins came up against an adversary worthy of his steel. You couldn't really say that about Daisy. I was surprised to see Jack Nicholson, a major star in 1970, in a minor supporting role as Daisy's step-brother Tad.
The music is pleasant enough but there was little to inspire me with any great enthusiasm or desire to go out and buy the album of the soundtrack. One reviewer says "This is one of those musicals that rarely gets talked about". He or she sees that as a matter for regret, but from my point of view this is one of those musicals that rarely gets talked about, and for a good reason. 4/10.