AFI: The Directors: Barbra Streisand
This documentary, an installment in a series on directors produced by the American Film Institute, focuses on a woman who has only directed three films. But Barbra Streisand is an undeniable superstar, and hearing her and others discuss her work onYentl,The Prince of Tides, andThe Mirror Has Two Facesis undeniably interesting. Appearing to discuss their experiences working on Streisand's films are Nick Nolte, Lauren Bacall, Brenda Vaccaro, and longtime musical collaborator Marvin Hamlisch. Interspersed with clips from her films are interview segments with Streisand. Seated on a living room couch, she speaks at some length, and despite her reputation for perfectionism and control, her comments seem extemporaneous. She talks about the problems she faced when she decided to direct, noting how difficult it was to get a budget approved for her first directorial effort,Yentl, and discusses how criticism of that film made her never want to direct again. She also talks about what made her choose other material to direct, and in some charmingly convoluted commentary, she describes specific thought processes that inspired images she's put on the screen. This is a very positive tribute to Streisand, referring to her at one point as a "true Renaissance woman," and fans of her varied career will no doubt find it an enjoyable look at how she approaches working in film.--Robert J. McNamara