Search - Anu Krishnan, Barry Schulman, David Horn :: Barbra Streisand: My Name Is Barbra

Setting The Standard

Joseph Albanese | New York, New York United States | 05/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Filmed in black and white, with no special guest stars, chorus lines, or glittery back drops, My Name Is Barbra broke all the rules and, in doing so, became a classic that holds that title nearly 40 years later.She was still a relative unknown commodity and starring on Broadway in Funny Girl at the time CBS aired this. My Name Is Barbra, originally intended as a pilot for a weekly series, was America's first real glimpse at the woman who defined the word legend.With just an orchestra, over-sized sets, imagination and some of the best songs ever written, Ms. Streisand turned her first special into a true spectacular.Whether she was clowning around (Pearl From Istanbul), gliding through the orchestra (I'm Late) or waltzing through Bergdorf Goodman's in a million dollars worth of furs and jewelry singing a Poor Little Girl medley, she is nothing short of riveting. The concert at the end where she pays tribute to Fanny Brice by singing My Man just caps off a show that is so perfect you wonder why it hasn't been done before or since. The Answer? Nobody can sing like Barbra Streisand and in this show, she sings. Her voice, powerful and rich, comes across as she pays homage to the great song writers (especially Rogers and Hart when she tackles We Can Make Believe from Showboat).With no special effects or flashy backgrounds, Barbra relied solely on talent and she scored perfectly.If you love music and want to see how it all began, get this tape. It is definitely a keeper."

A Star Is Born

Matt Howe | Washington, DC | 10/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Barbra Streisand first appears on your television screen in glorious profile. She opens her mouth and sings "My name is Bar-bra". There is no mistake: this is history in the making. This is the first television special starring Streisand. She won an Emmy for it. And she's incredible.The video is now out of print. Streisand/CBS Fox released the video in the mid-80's as part of "The Streisand Specials" (along with "Color Me Barbra", "Happening In Central Park", and "One Voice"). There is rumor that *all* of the Streisand specials (including the unreleased "Belle of 14th Street" and "Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments") will see a DVD release in 2nd quarter 2003."My Name Is Barbra", videotaped in black and white, is must-see viewing for any Streisand fan. The special aired in 1965 when Streisand was on Broadway starring in FUNNY GIRL. She sounds incredible.The special features three acts. Act One tells a story of growing up through songs. Act Two features Barbra in the Bergdorf Goodman department store singing a medley of poverty songs. Act Three is Barbra in concert singing standards like "When The Sun Comes Out", "My Man", "Happy Days" and more.There are no guest stars or cutesy small-talk. The show is classic because it is simply about the singing. Streisand did it her way."

Stellar TV Debut for Barbra at Her Purest

Ed Uyeshima | San Francisco, CA USA | 07/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As the first of the TV specials offered on the elaborate box set, "Barbra Streisand: The Television Specials", released last November, this disc is being released separately for those who do not want to fork over the dollars for all five specials. As an investment, this is indeed the best of the bunch if only for the fact that this is Streisand at her purest and most eager to impress. That she succeeds so brilliantly is a key component of her legend. Signed to a long-term contract with CBS to produce hour-long variety shows, an almost extinct format nowadays, Streisand was all of 22 in this CBS special first broadcast in April 1965. At that point of her career, her notoriety was limited to a handful of best-selling albums, a few dazzling TV appearances on variety and talk shows, and her successful Broadway run in "Funny Girl".



Filmed in crisp black-and-white, the program is divided into three distinct parts. With the creative transitional use of "I'm Late" from Disney's "Alice in Wonderland", the first segment cleverly shows her growing up from childhood through numbers as diverse as "Make Believe" and "I'm Five". Opening with a comic monologue about Pearl from Istanbul, the second part moves on location to Manhattan's chic Bergdorf Goodman's where she is elegantly costumed in a series of glamorous outfits while singing Depression-era songs like "I've Got Plenty of Nuthin'" and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with comic irony. Back to basics, the third segment is a straight-ahead concert which opens with a torchy version of "When the Sun Comes Out", includes a "Funny Girl" medley, and ends with her classic, melancholic take on "Happy Days Are Here Again" over the ending credits. Also included is the brief introduction she taped in 1986 when the special was first released on VHS. For those who know Streisand only for her pricey concert tickets and political fundraising, this is a genuine eye-opener into why she is so revered now."