Barbra Streisand made her directorial debut with this 1983 adaptation of the Isaac Bashevis Singer story about a young Eastern European woman (Streisand) who disguises herself as a male at the turn of the century in order to get an education. Except for an excessive musical score with too many songs and Streisand's tiresome tendency to play characters who suppress their beauty, the film is crisp and engaging, and the gender-bending love story complications are fun, if gimmicky. Streisand gives a smart, vulnerable performance and gets fresh work from costars Mandy Patinkin and Amy Irving. --Tom Keogh
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Yentl- No DVD??!! Comment: I have all of Barbra Streisand movies on Dvd except for this one. This is one of the biggest mysteries. It probably is Barbra's best film ever and it is still not out on Dvd. What are they waiting for? I wish someone knew the answer to this question. Customer Rating: Summary: Showing TCM 12/22/2008 Comment: This is my favorite movie and would like to get it on DVD as soon as it is released for Region 1. In the meantime, I found out it was on the Turner Classic Movie channel last night and I missed it. It will be rebroadcast 12/22/2008 at 11:30pm Eastern time. Set your DVRs. I will. This may be the only way to get a Region 1 DVD. Customer Rating: Summary: Timeless Comment: My daughter and I saw Yentl together in 1983 in the theater when she was in the 7th grade. We walked out of the theater, looked at each other, turned on our heals, went back in and watched it again.
The music is glorious and the story is timeless. This is an intelligent movie. There is a unique quality to the way the film was made by which it seems there is more story telling through the music than the dialogue. It's a lovely way to absorb the story, with your gut rather than your cerebellum.
I watched it again about a month ago, and the strains of the "klesmer" music had me in tears. Minors, 7ths, flats -- flat minor 7ths! Heart wrenching, transcendent, other worldly. Customer Rating: Summary: Please release Yentl on DVD for the US Comment: This is one of my favorite movies. The acting is wonderful -- I love Mandy Patinkin as Avigdor and, of course, Barbra is great!!! The music is beautiful and the photography is great. I have wanted to get this movie on DVD for a long time, but it is only available overseas. I would definitely buy it if it were released in the US. Customer Rating: Summary: Where is the DVD? Comment: I agree with others in wondering where the DVD is of this movie. I saw this movie in the theater when it came out and loved it then. Lately I have been listening to the music again and realizing it is some of Streisand's best. I wanted to see the movie again but, alas, no DVD after extensive searching!! I think it is long overdue.
