On A Clear Day You Can See Forever - (1970) (DVD)

Reviews

"On a Clear Day you can see Forever" by Micky B - 28 June 2013

Barbara Streisand is almost unique in being one of the rare non-glamorous women stars who apparently has far more male fans that female ones! Many women cannot <i>stand</i> her, whereas there are armies of healthy hetrosexual males – like me – who think she's <i>marvelous!</i> This movie can be classed as a musical-fantasy love story; and could possibly also be called a kind of musical Bridey Murphy story. At the behest of her ultra-conservative fiancé Warren(Harry Blyden), scatterbrained five-pack-a-day chain smoker and clairvoyant Daisy Gamble (Streisand) attends a class taught by psychiatrist Marc Chabot (Yves Montand) for help in kicking her habit. While undergoing hypnosis, it is discovered she is the reincarnation of Lady Melinda Winifred Waine Tentrees, a seductive 18th century coquette who was born the illegitimate daughter of a kitchen maid. She acquired the paternity records of the children housed in the orphanage where her mother worked and used the information to blackmail their wealthy fathers. She eventually married nobleman Robert Tentrees during the period of the English Regency, then was tried for espionage and treason after he abandoned her. But as treatments progress, she finds that ahe can read into her future as well! As their sessions progress, complications arise when Chabot begins to fall in love with Daisy's exotic former self and Daisy begins to fall for him, and his university colleagues demand he either give up his reincarnation research or resign his position with the school. On learning this, Daisy storms out of the office. When she finally returns for a final meeting with him, she describes fourteen additional lives, including her forthcoming birth as Laura and subsequent marriage to the therapist; “back” in the year 2038!!!!!. All in all, good entertainment!(Incidentally, MAD magazine parodied three of Streisand's better movies; all put together under the title of: “ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE a FUNNY GIRL singing “HELLO DOLLY” FOREVER.)