Review: Tony Bennett: An American Classic (NBC)
11/20/06 08:07 PM
By ED BARK
Effortlessly lush and classy, NBC's Tony Bennett: An American Classic reminds us that network TV specials occasionally can be just that.
So dismiss ABC's competing American Music Awards for at least the first hour. Here's the real deal, from its start with Barbra Streisand to the finish you know is coming -- Bennett caressing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" as only he can and must.
Sponsored solely by Target, which deserves to take a deep bow, American Classic warms home screens on Tuesday night, Nov. 21 (7 central, 8 eastern). Its superb singer of songs, who turned 80 in August, is expertly, vividly showcased by producer-director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha). He uses film rather than videotape, but the immediacy is still there. You can't fake the admiration everyone shows for Bennett, who reciprocates in full measure. Rich and creamy without being frothy, this is a guaranteed Emmy winner in its category.
Bennett and Streisand, who had some great specials of her own in pre-cable times, begin the evening with a full-blooded version of "Smile." It's a wonder, with Streisand hugging and back-patting the old pro at song's end.
A-list celebs Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, John Travolta and Robert De Niro drop in unobtrusively to provide brief recaps of Bennett's extraordinary career.
De Niro gets to reprise the old Frank Sinatra kudo from a Life magazine article. Bennett has always considered this to be his greatest compliment, and it really is a good quote. Goes something like this: "For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer had in mind -- and probably a little more."
Bennett particularly comes across with Stevie Wonder and k.d. lang on their respective duets of "For Once In My Life" and "Because of You," his first big hit. "Stevie Wonderful" he calls him, clearly meaning it.
Elton John teams with Bennett on "Rags to Riches." Their backdrop is a mock Sahara hotel stage, where Bennett made his big mark in Vegas. Christina Aguilera joins him on "Steppin' Out With My Baby," which is exclusive to the special and not included on Bennett's recently released "Duets" CD. Other guests are Diana Krall, John Legend, Michael Buble, the single-named Juanes and trumpeter Chris Botti.
Bennett gives his all with all of them. He's the perfectly pitched, gracious host, happy to still be singin' his tunes and happier still that younger performers dig what he's been doin' for most of his life. Sit back and luxuriate. Artists at work. It's show time.
Grade: A
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