Review of Yentl (1983) by Annabelle S — 16 Dec 2009

In theory, this could be a good story. A woman strives, against all obstacles in Poland in the 1900s, to educate herself by dressing up as a boy to attend school where she will engage in discourse about Talmudic law. She denies that she is inherently unable to learn, as is the common belief of the day, and eventually finds freedom by coming to America. Sounds like a nice, uplifting, empowering plot.

Except that Anshel/Yentl (Ms. Streisand) can't help but fall in love with her friend/mentor Avigdor (played by the fierce Mandy Patinkin, charged with a sexual energy if a bit creepy). Except that the man in question, when he finds out that his friend is actually a woman, cannot accept that she does not want to go back to her "womanly" role and give up her continuing education. Except that Avigdor chooses instead the vapid, husband-pleasing wife Hadass (played by Amy Irving with just the right touch of blankness to her eyes), who is not liberated by the educating influence of Anshel/Yentl but is merely trying to please the will of a man.

Yentl is directed by, produced by, and stars Barbra Streisand (who takes up about 75% of the screen time and sings a song every ten minutes in this 2-hour + movie). I can't help but feel like this is nothing more than shameless self-indulgent promotion. Can someone explain the appeal of Barbra Streisand to me? I clearly just don't get it.