IN THE SPOTLIGHT
final edit.
“It’s a scene that never should have been cut out in the first place and I cut it out, so I have only myself to blame. I was trying to move the picture along,” Streisand told The Associated Press.
In the restored sequence, Streisand’s aspiring actress-singer Esther takes guitar in hand to play “Evergreen” for Kristofferson’s character. Streisand wrote the music, with lyrics by Paul Williams.
Streisand said she realized the moment helped illuminate the pair and their relationship. She also added footage to the movie’s finale that features a medley of the “With One More Look At You” and “Watch Closely Now.”
The movie and some of its songs are part of a concert film, “Barbra: The Music. The Mem’ries. The Magic!” that’s on Netflix and has been submitted for consideration for this year’s Emmy nominations, coming in July.
Streisand, who has made no secret of her reluctance to perform onstage, paused only briefly when asked why she agreed to the 2016-17 concert tour.
“My motivation was that I wanted a painting by Modigliani, and so I worked for it. I don’t enjoy live performing. I love recording, I love making movies, but I don’t enjoy being on the stage.”