Yentl

Despite an ostensibly somber tone and an autumnal look that gives the film a burnished coffee-table feel, Barbra Streisand's directorial debut "Yentl", about a turn-of-the-century Jewish girl disguising herself as a boy to study the Talmud (religious writings for men only), has a lot of heart, a romantic soul and a ticklish sense of humor. Streisand's strengths as an actress are never more apparent, and as a director she's thoughtful and careful, though perhaps too anxious to display her sentiment (leading to a woebegone conclusion which peaks and ebbs before the fade-out). Streisand is the only actor who sings, and the songs--though mostly ornate and melodramatic--are cleverly interwoven into the narrative. The final number (something about rebelling against "a piece of sky") is simply too much, but Barbra is in strong, assured voice throughout and she gets wonderful acting support from Mandy Patinkin (in arguably his finest performance, which should have netted an Oscar nomination) and Amy Irving (who did receive an Oscar nod). An enjoyable film with a surprisingly light-hearted quality which catches one off-guard. *** from ****