My Name Is Barbra

Streisand is highly collaborative with William Wyler, the director of Funny Girl movie; he often defers to her judgment as she knows the character of Fanny Brice better than anyone else. Despite this, the press reports that she does not get along with Wyler or cinematographer Harry Stradling. At the end of the Funny Girl shoot, both men encourage her to direct, praising her being so hands-on in the process of making the film. At an opening night party in London, Streisand meets Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, whom she would start to date a few months later.

Streisand grows more and more distant from Gould, who is troubled by the idea that she has a more successful career. She has a flirtation with her Funny Girl castmate Omar Sharif during the movie’s filming, but loses interest in him after the film. When Gould turns to drugs and develops a gambling addiction, Streisand notes the ironic parallels between their relationship and the one between Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl. Gould announces their separation before she wins an Oscar for her film, but the two remain friends.

After Streisand and Gould’s legal separation in 1969, Streisand pursues Broadway actor and writer Anthony Newly. However, because they both have troubled pasts, they’ve built up walls to protect themselves when things don’t go their way. Writing the memoir, Streisand admits that she regrets not having called him to tell him this.

Streisand accepts the leading role in the movie Hello Dolly! despite not feeling mature enough for the part. Streisand doesn’t artistically connect with director Gene Kelly in the same way she did with Jerome Robbins and Willie Wyler, and the filming process is much more contentious than that of Funny Girl. She also has a miserable time at the premiere, where she is almost attacked by the paparazzi: This moment is when she “began to hate ‘stardom’” (348).

Streisand had always idolized Marlon Brando, and she meets him a few times early in her career. At a party during her time in Funny Girl on Broadway, they talk and it feels like they instinctively know each other. Years later, once they are both divorced in 1972, Brando invites Streisand to have sex with him. Streisand, feeling “too insecure sexually” (356), suggests a day trip instead. The two grow close and Streisand sees the similarities in their views on acting and fame.

In the movie musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), Streisand plays two characters who are like the two competing sides of herself. She has a great time collaborating with the crew and filming in England.

The same year, Streisand films The Owl and the Pussycat, a romantic comedy she loved when she saw it as a play. The producer, Ray Stark, leaks to the press that the role was rewritten for Streisand, changing her character from an actor to a folk singer. This angers Streisand, who wants to prove that she can act as well as sing. She stands her ground and refuses to sing for the movie. Aside from Stark, she gets along well with everyone in the cast and crew.

Pierre Trudeau writes to Streisand and comes to visit her while in New York; she begins to fall for him. She visits him in Canada, where their connection is dreamy. However, she becomes frightened as the relationship becomes more intense, worried about how a life with him will compete with her career. Still, they remain friends for the rest of his life, and Streisand stays close to his family.

By the end of 1970, Streisand feels tired and has no desire to go back to work after juggling several movies, albums, and being a mother. Encouraged by Columbia Records to record more contemporary music, she puts out several albums that are hits. Around this time, Gould starts to have more professional success and she is proud of him, though it stops him from seeing Jason as much as she would like. She visits Gould while he is filming in Sweden with Ingmar Bergman, but knows their marriage is over.

Streisand starts seeing the actor Ryan O’Neal. One day, she gets a call from the Warner Bros. studio saying that Gould had a breakdown while filming his new movie. He will owe the company money if he does not fulfill his contract, so Streisand agrees to play his part if it is rewritten for her and suggests that director Peter Bogdanovich take over. Neither of them likes the script, so they convince Warner Bros. to make a screwball comedy starring Streisand and O’Neal, which becomes What’s Up, Doc? (1972). Streisand’s relationship with O’Neal fizzles, but they remain friends, and Streisand and Gould officially get divorced shortly after.

During the tumultuous political era of the 1960s and ’70s, Streisand speaks up for causes she believes in, such as women’s rights, racial justice, and peace efforts. She campaigns for famed feminist politician Bella Abzug’s successful run for US Congress, sings at numerous benefits, and makes films dealing with contemporary political and social issues. Streisand draws on her experiences as a working mother with complicated family relationships for the 1972 comedy-drama Up the Sandbox. Even though the film flops—audiences expected to hear her sing—it is one of the ones Streisand is most proud of.

Producer Ray Stark, with whom Streisand has a tumultuous relationship, gets Arthur Laurents to write a film specifically for Streisand—the romantic drama The Way We Were. However, the manipulative Stark doesn’t want this film to count toward the three projects she signed onto after Funny Girl. Streisand wants to be free of Stark, so she stands her ground for her creative freedom even at financial loss.

Sydney Pollack is brought on to direct, and Streisand advocates fiercely for Robert Redford to play opposite her, even getting the production to hire writers to expand his part. She also deeply collaborates in the composition of the film’s namesake song. Streisand relates intensely to her character, Katie, who was written with her in mind. The movie production is somewhat troubled. A feud between the screenwriter and director leads to toning down the film’s complexity. After two key scenes are cut from the film despite her pleading, Streisand recognizes that she needs the same creative control over her movies as she has over her albums and TV specials; she determines that she has to direct. Eventually, in 2023, Streisand convinces the studio to include the cut scenes in the extended version released for the 50th anniversary of the film.