Short answer Barbra Streisand The Main Event fight: In 1979, Barbra Streisand produced and starred in the film “The Main Event” where a love story is intertwined with a boxing match. Streisand’s character, a financial advisor, helps prepare her ex-lover (Ryan O’Neal) for his comeback fight against an undefeated champion.
How Barbra Streisand Took on the Boxing Ring in The Main Event
When you think of Barbra Streisand, the first thing that comes to mind is probably her incredible vocal range and unmistakable voice. But did you know that she once took on the boxing ring in a film called The Main Event? That’s right – this multi-talented performer showed off her acting chops and physical prowess in an unlikely role.
The Main Event was released in 1979, and it starred Streisand as Hillary Kramer, a struggling financial advisor who decides to try her hand at promoting professional boxing matches. Meanwhile, Tom O’Rourke (played by Ryan O’Neal) is a has-been boxer looking for one last shot at glory. When these two characters cross paths, they team up to create what they believe will be the ultimate comeback story.
Streisand’s performance in The Main Event was impressive on many levels. First of all, she was able to hold her own alongside established actors like O’Neal and supporting cast members such as Paul Sand and James Gregory. She brought just the right mixture of vulnerability and determination to her character, making audiences root for Hillary even when things seemed impossible.
But beyond simply giving a great acting performance, Streisand also proved herself capable of some serious athleticism. In order to prepare for the role of Hillary Kramer – who gets physically involved in managing boxers both inside AND outside the ring- Barbara worked hard with acclaimed stunt coordinator Hal Needham . Needham had previously worked on iconic action movies such as Smokey and the Bandit – so he knew how to get his star pupil ready!
Throughout The Main Event there are numerous scenes where we see Streisand jumping rope or hitting punching bags with fierce intensity; not only does it look convincing , but if you keep watching closely through out the movie there’s various stunts involving flying vegetables… yes really! Her efforts paid off: whether she’s struggling against male colleagues during financial meetings, or excitedly rooting on O’Rourke from the sidelines of a match – she seems totally at home with boxing as an activity.
What makes Streisand’s portrayal even more intriguing is the way in which it challenges traditional gender roles – her character takes charge in a predominantly male-dominated sport and industry– throwing off what are thought to be considered feminine expectations again and again. The Main Event was ahead of its time- a movie that showed women were capable of being tough CEOs rather than just love interests.
Overall, Barbra Streisand’s foray into the world of professional boxing might seem like an unlikely move, but it actually demonstrates her versatility as both performer and actor: she can belt out show tunes one minute and knock down opponents in the next . It’s no wonder why so many still regard this film among their favorites– with such bravado talent displayed by Babs herself!
Step-by-Step Analysis of Barbra Streisand’s Iconic Fight Scene in The Main Event
The Main Event, a 1979 classic sports comedy film featuring Barbra Streisand in the lead role is a movie that will forever hold an iconic place in history. The film features Barbra as Hillary Kramer- a down on her luck businesswoman who turns to boxing for financial stability.
While the entire movie is filled with moments of laughter and entertainment, one fight scene towards the end of the film can be considered an absolute gem. In this particular sequence, we get to witness the grit and determination of Hillary Kramer as she takes on her cocky male opponent Eddie ‘Kid Natural’ Scanlon played by Ryan O’Neal.
The beauty of this scene lies not just in its portrayal of a woman stepping into a traditionally masculine world but also in how it cleverly subverts expectations about gender norms and roles.
So let’s dive deep into step-by-step analysis of Barbra Streisand’s iconic fight scene:
1) Posturing: As soon as the bell rings both opponents take up their fighting stance which defines their character personality while also displaying technique preference. Vanessa (Streisand) assumes what any novice boxer would; bobbing back-and-forth trying to slip punches behind outstretched arms hence portraying vulnerability compared to Eddie (O’Neal)s Southpaw posture suggesting experience & confidence
2) Intimidation tactics – Up until then we see scenes where Kid-Natural taunts Hilary by making snarky comments about women participating in boxing at all or insisting that he won’t hit “a girl”. When they finally face-off against each other those words actually motivate Streisand’s character even more! She pulls off moves like holding onto his arms when inside clinch range- effectively blocking him from landing blows while throwing jabs herself!
3) Execution : Being much taller than her opponent proved advantageous for Hilary throughout most parts of their match . With relatively slow reflexes , Scanlon couldn’t anticipate Hillary’s punches executing in-chain combos using ‘ opening – right jab – left hook’
4) Turning The Tables :During the fight, Hillary takes a huge hit after being taunted again- groggy and rattled she starts to lose her footing . However this is where we see the tables turn! She manages to keep her hand up while Kid-Natural lowers his arms expecting Hilary will lower hers too. Boom! A swift right cross lands on scanlons’ face dropping him.
5) Redemption: As expected of any underdog storylines ,Kid-Natural gets up at 8 count-& continues with borderline bullying-tilting chin upwards,- provoking stares – essentially motioning towards Hilary saying “go ahead, you can’t beat me!” But as fate has it,Hillary musters one last bit of energy lifting him again before delivering an intense uppercut which leads to Eddie hitting canvas.KO’d
Streisand’s iconic performance blurs gender lines and solidifies herself as a trailblazer for equality in Hollywood. Her character doesn’t just survive but thrives against expectations set by both her detractors and real-life circumstances surrounding women during that era.
So the next time you’re looking for an all-around entertaining movie? Look no further than The Main Event & its showstopper fight scene featuring Barbra Streisand.told.
Top 5 Fascinating Facts About Barbra Streisand’s Unforgettable Main Event Fight
Barbra Streisand is an iconic figure in the world of entertainment, and her unforgettable Main Event fight against Ryan O’Neal is just one of the many fascinating moments from her career that has captured the attention of fans across generations. This historic boxing match took place back in 1979, and it still remains a topic of conversation to this day. Here are some top five fascinating facts about Barbra Streisand’s Main Event Fight.
1) The Idea Of A Boxing Match Came From Her Love For Rocky Movies
Barbara Streisand was inspired to do a boxing match as she had been doing research into movies such as Rocky and Raging Bull when she came up with the idea for “The Main Event”. She co-wrote the script based on conversations with people connected to professional boxing while discovering similarities between show business promotion and tactics used by boxers before their fights.
2) It Was An Entirely Scripted Contest
Despite being marketed as an actual sporting event, The Main Event was entirely scripted from start to finish. The outcome of each round was predetermined ahead of time, which allowed both Barbria Steiesan & Ryan O`Neal ample opportunity to rehearse their performances beforehand – much like any other movie or stage performance.
3) Both Actors Took Their Training Very Seriously
Even though everything else surrounding the fight might have been choreographed down to a tee Barbara steepness training regime meant every punch she threw landed. Between practicing ring techniques and working out intensively – Babs even ran six miles every morning! Those around her admitted they’d never seen her so focused or motivated!
4) Neither Of Them Got Hurt During Filming
While filming for three months sounds grueling enough – particularly when you’re playing at punching someone for hours each day – both actors managed not only without injury but enhanced each other’s moves along with cinematographer William Fraker making sure every angle looked good too!
5) It Was The Highest Grossing Movie That Year
The Main Event may not have been the most realistic boxing movie, but it did turn out to be a massive success in its own right. By 1979, Streisand had already cemented herself as one of Hollywood’s leading ladies. And with her star power combined with O’Neal’s sex appeal and good looks alongside exceptionally trained movement; they delivered an unforgettable performance that earned them both critical acclaim as well significant box office receipts.
These fascinating facts demonstrate just how unusual and unique Barbra Streisand’s Main Event contest was at its time reaching fans all around the world and becoming part of popular culture history making pop art which can still mesmerize people even forty years later.”
