Yentl (1983)

A Jewish girl disguises herself as a boy to enter religious training.

Director:

Barbra Streisand

Writers:

Jack Rosenthal (screenplay), Barbra Streisand (screenplay)

Stars:

Barbra Streisand, Amy Irving, Mandy Patinkin

Won 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbra Streisand	...	Yentl
Mandy Patinkin	...	Avigdor
Amy Irving	...	Hadass
Nehemiah Persoff	...	Reb Mendel 'Papa'
Steven Hill	...	Reb Alter Vishkower
Allan Corduner	...	Shimmele
Ruth Goring	...	Esther Rachel
David de Keyser	...	Rabbi Zalman (as David De Keyser)
Bernard Spear	...	Tailor
Doreen Mantle	...	Mrs. Shaemen
Lynda Baron	...	Peshe (as Lynda Barron)
Jack Lynn	...	Bookseller
Anna Tzelniker	...	Mrs. Kovner
Miriam Margolyes	...	Sarah
Mary Henry	...	Mrs. Jacobs

Storyline

Eastern Europe, 1904. A Jewish woman, Yentl, has a thirst for knowledge but is prohibited from learning due to the restrictions of her religion. When her father dies, she sets off to increase her knowledge, posing as a man in order to gain admission to a Jewish religious school.

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Plot Keywords:

gender bender | gender disguise | triple f rated | forename as title | year 1904 | 

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Taglines:

In a time when the world of study belonged only to men, there lived a girl who dared to ask why?

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

6 January 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Yentl

Filming Locations:

Blewbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$40,218,899

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,218,899

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ladbroke, Barwood Films, United Artists

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby 4-Track Stereo (Dolby Magnetic 35mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

WB first announced " Yentl " as a starring vehicle for Barbra Streisand in 1971, with Ivan Passer directing.

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Goofs

When Yentl sings "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" her glasses are laid down in front of her. They have modern temple and ear pieces. In other scenes Yentl's glasses are the old-fashioned, wrap-around-the-ear-style glasses.

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Quotes

Bookseller: You're in the wrong place, storybooks for women are over here.
Yentl: [holding a book] I'd like this one, please.
Bookseller: [takes the book away] Sacred books are for men.
Yentl: Why?
Bookseller: It's the law.
Yentl: Where's it written?
Bookseller: It doesn't matter where it's written, it's the law.
Yentl: Well if it's the law it must be written somewhere, perhaps in here
[the book]
Yentl: . I'll take it.

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the closing credits: This film is dedicated to my father... and to all our fathers.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Actors Who Were WAY Too Old for Their Roles (2019)

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Soundtracks

Papa, Can You Hear Me?
(uncredited)
Music by Michel Legrand
Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Performed by Barbra Streisand

User Reviews

just beautiful

for basic idea of equal rights out of any feminism. for the flavor of "80 years and for slices of shtetl life, for Jew space in Russian Empire as place of interior freedom, for music and for the delicate story. for last image of a way to happiness. for fabulous role of young Yentl/Anschel and for fragile performance of Amy Irving. it is difficult to define it.because it is a profound humanist pledge for normality. not accusation against a community. not stone against rules.but a open window.that is all. central piece - courage. central message - nothing is impossible. axis - force to be yourself. after 20 years, it is more important today.because in time of globalization, time of positive discrimination, Yentl is a wise advise. and good model to build personal trip in life.