Yentl

PG

Released Dec 9, 1983

2h 14m

Musical

List

69%

78 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Rebbe Mendel is a single father who teaches the Talmud, a sacred text of Judaism, to the boys of his small Polish town. Behind closed doors, he also instructs his daughter, Yentl, despite the fact that girls are forbidden to study religious scripture. When Yentl's father dies, she still has a strong desire to learn about her faith -- so she disguises herself as a male, enrolls in a religious school, and unexpectedly finds love along the way.

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Critics Consensus

Barbra Streisand takes on every conceivable role and acquits herself well in Yentl, a musical epic with a humdrum score that's given considerable lift from its writer-director-star's sheer force of will.

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Alec B

The musical/song score elements don't work at all which is a real shame because the core of the story is quite compelling and moving at times.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

David Michael B

Great! Still holds up and is much better than you'd expect. The direction is a bit uneven and some odd choices were made (like arbitrarily singing in VO and lip synching) but it's a very ambitious film that Barbra generally did a great job with

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/20/23

Full Review

Kris C

This should never have been made.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/05/23

Full Review

Thomas L

Barbra Streisand is the actress of many traits and especially in the fact that she is able to work offscreen as well as on and this movie is still very relevant in some aspects but honestly if you are a fan of Musicals and Streisand, then this is a must-see :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

andrew p

Excellent everything in this movie. I just wish they could of made it less obvious she was a woman. Apparently all the men around her were blind and deaf.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The story, acting and cinematography is wonderful. But detracting from the story is Barbra herself. If you are going to have the audience believe that you are a man then for god's sake don't wear mascara. Fill in your sculpted eyebrows. Trim your nails. It seems totally unbelievable that no one could tell that Yentl wasn't a man. What man has no beard or stubble? Who would ever overlook the feminine voice? At best Yentl appeared to be about 15 years old. But none of the characters noticed. The make up artists really failed to make her look like a him. This a major credibility flaw in an otherwise great story.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Barbra Streisand

Director

Barbra Streisand

Yentl

Mandy Patinkin

Avigdor

Amy Irving

Hadass

Nehemiah Persoff

Reb Mendel 'Papa'

Steven Hill

Reb Alter Vishkower

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

Barbra Streisand’s Yentl is rhapsodic yet informal; it’s like a gently surprising turn of phrase.

Sep 11, 2023

Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

Yentl is a debut that its exacting star can be justly pleased with.

May 12, 2023

Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

[The musical score's] treacherous glissandi and searching wit find their ideal interpreter in Streisand's incredible Flexible Flyer of a voice. After two decades of hard work, that voice is still as smooth as mercury poured over dry ice.

May 12, 2023

Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

Yentl would be an impressive achievement at any point in a director’s career. The fact that this was Streisand’s debut makes it even more notable.

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

A stunning film that explores gender roles and queer themes far ahead of its time, with Barbra giving what may well be the best performance in her unparalleled filmography.

Feb 13, 2024

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Streisand's still-best directorial outing.

Jun 13, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Rebbe Mendel is a single father who teaches the Talmud, a sacred text of Judaism, to the boys of his small Polish town. Behind closed doors, he also instructs his daughter, Yentl, despite the fact that girls are forbidden to study religious scripture. When Yentl's father dies, she still has a strong desire to learn about her faith -- so she disguises herself as a male, enrolls in a religious school, and unexpectedly finds love along the way.

Director: Barbra Streisand
Producer: Larry DeWaay
Screenwriter: Jack Rosenthal, Barbra Streisand
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: United Artists
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 9, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 14m
Sound Mix: Surround

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