'Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn' review: It's like buttah

But you should know that "Brooklyn" is also one of those fundraising "events," which means a total of two hours of Babs, one hour of blab. PBS will argue that to get this (or the recent and extraordinary "The Hollow Crown," also "Great Performances"), the money has to come from somewhere. All true, but you decide what your own personal tolerance level is, even for Streisand.

Streisand does arrive on that stage with 50-plus years of history, cultural impact and (above all) legend. She's the one who got most of these songs, all standards, into the Great American Songbook. Plus, Streisand rarely performs. (She forgot some words to a song during a long-ago concert in Central Park, as fans know, and, as she explains again, has battled stage fright ever since.) A few breaks are a small price to pay for this rousing sentimental journey. Unless you'd rather wait to buy the DVD. I'm sure PBS will tell you how to do that, too.

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