The Way We Were

source: The Way We Were

I can remember seeing THE WAY WE WERE when I was in high school and being surprised by how much I had enjoyed it. Romances were never really my thing, but I had always enjoyed the work of Robert Redford, so I decided to give it a try. I was floored by the power and beauty of film! My initial reactions to the film were, once again, how natural and charismatic Redford is as the classic example of the college golden boy, who feels slightly trapped. After the credits began to roll, I knew right then that I had seen something special, something that would pass the test of time. I assume others felt the same way, the film went on to become an international blockbuster and the top grosser of the year. Years later, I watched THE WAY WE WERE again. Now older, I had a new perspective on the film, and to be completely honest, I enjoyed it even more! While I still think Redford is great in this film, I discovered that it is actually Barbra Streisand who gives the better performance. As the political activist Katie, Streisand has one her best roles since Fanny Brice in the original FUNNY GIRL and she provides a show-stopping performance. She displays both strength and vulnerability, she is at once both scorned and innocent. Her's is one of the best performances of the 70's. The final verdict: THE WAY WE WERE stands the test of time as one of the best films of it's kind. Watch this film for the most moving finale in film history, for the knock out performance from Streisand, for the long-lasting chemistry between Redford and Streisand, and for one of the most famous and touching love stories of this century. Out of 10, I'd rate THE WAY WE WERE a solid 10!

For those who thrill to a little bit of leftist rhetoric with their smaltz, here is the movie for you. The music by the way is fine and the song that still brings a tear to my eyes is the definitive divorcée cri de coeur. the movie however is a piece of junk for several reasons. The only decent performance is from the ever reliable Brad Dillman. Redford can't do Republican because he is simply a boy and can't play a man. Newman could but Redford even at 70 is still too emotionally flabby. As for La Streisand. She is an excellent communist. She's been playing the part to perfection for years and I have no problem with that but sentimental, good mom and woman in love who actually feels love for a human being, not in this life. I don't mind her quirky looks and even liked Yentl but this is a mess from beginning to end. Rachel had the right idea (stay away and out of the movie and the lives of these losers). (By the way, you are allowed to go to Cuba and stay there, the tough part is leaving so both the actress and the character could have done the appropriate thing and literally put their bodies where their hearts are, 90 miles off shore).

I was looking forward to watching this movie, as I've heard so many times that it's one of the greatest love stories of our time. Halfway through this sleeper, all I could say was - You've GOT to be kidding me?? Katie is like nails on a chalkboard and Hubble is like a bump on a log. Neither of the characters are likeable, their romance is a bore, and the plot is very weak. I could care less what happens to these two people. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - The pregnancy/birth part could have totally been cut out, what was the point? If you haven't already seen it, and you feel like you're missing something (like I did), trust me - YOU AREN'T. Yikes.

I was relatively young when this film first came out. I, like many others, thought it was great, and loved Streisand and Redford and the theme song. I recently saw TWWW again, nearly 40 years later, and my opinion has changed dramatically. I cannot deny that Redford and Streisand definitely seem to have some kind of chemistry. And, as I felt the first time, Barbra represented every ugly duckling, gay or straight, who somehow manages to capture the prize. Via Barbra's performance, we can easily imagine what it must have been like to lie down with a prince. This, I think, may be one reason why the film had a certain level of success. Barbra also had moments where she "spoke the truth" with passion and intensity. I think people related to this outspokenness, this gutsiness, this willingness to take chances and not apologize for one's opinions. Barbra was also the "outsider" -- she was the smart Jewish girl who knew she had to work harder, study more, and fight for what she wanted, because nothing would come to her easily. It is for these reasons why I think the movie resonated. But the reality is: The movie is not about anything, not really. What, exactly, is the plot? They meet in school, they meet years later, they fall in love, they get married, he has an affair, they divorce, they meet again... okay, so what? Barbra, who does have tons of talent, but in this film looked like she was performing her graduate project for Acting 101, spends a lot of time arguing and getting upset about things. But whatever those things are seem to be only tangentially connected/related to the rest of the story (if you can call it that). Bob, yes, stunning to look at, coasts through the film with little to do or say. He didn't want to do the film, and I can see why. Yeah, he looks great, but what is the emotional arc of his character? A lot was cut from this film and as a result, it seems disjointed. There is an inordinate amount of time spent on Bob's career as a screenwriter in Hollywood while a pregnant Barbra tends to their little beach house. And yet everyone seems miserable and unhappy. Voices were raised, but nothing really happens. Near the end when Barbra has apparently given birth to their child (after it's clear that their relationship is over), Bob shows up at the hospital. Barbra is perfectly coiffed and made-up as if she's just come back from a spa. He stands there, emotionless, ready to abandon her and their newborn child. We're supposed to like him? I couldn't stand him. In fact, James Wood, who we meet early on in the film, who seems to be Barbra's quasi-boyfriend in college and who seems to support everything she was trying to do, is clearly a better man for her--but he wasn't as handsome. Life is cruel, isn't it? Finally, the theme song: Yes, it is a beautiful song for what it is and Barbra sings it beautifully. Who knew that it would become an iconic song and help define her career? She didn't even want to sing the song--she felt it was too simple. She had to be talked into it. So, finally, in the end, what are we left with? A unique opportunity to see Barbra and Bob dressing in period costumes, lots of bad, bad lighting, a plot-less rambling "story" that does not stay any one place long enough for us to care about much of anything, lots of intense arguing and challenging others from Barbra, and lots of stoic looks from Bob. And yet, it was a big hit. Like I said at the beginning, it was Barbra's "ugly duckling" status and "landing the prince" that I think resonated with a large part of the audience. At least it did with me... back then. At this point in time, I just kind of stared at it in amazement and said, "What exactly is this all about?"

A couple of self absorbed people discover that they're not willing to choose to make their relationship work. The paper thin characters, implausible plot shifts and misguided grandstanding combine into a perfect storm of pointlessness. This movie is self indulgent, tedious prattle. Yawn.

Had to see this one again after years had elapsed between viewings, and the hair brushed from the face ending still gets to me. Weep weep, boo hoo. Speaking of hair, Babs looks better with her hair curly here, it always seems stiff flattened out. I still can't figure out if Hubbel was challenged by Katie or if he fell for her because he knew she loved him deeply, even if their relationship was based more on her attraction to him than his to hers. I never thought he truly felt comfortable with her. Because she was so "serious" all the time, as he tried to tell her. Romance was bound to fail because he could never think about other people the way she did and she in turn could never relax. The public confrontation during the communist witch hunt is the last straw and eventually leads us to the sidewalks of New York, where Katie's hair is curly again and Hubbel comments that she must have lost her iron. A truly moving romance with some stretches of dullness here and there but never at the expense of character. Both stars look great, with Streisand definitely robbed at Oscar time.

Terrible and talky schmaltz that ladles on the syrupy score at regular intervals, and the Oscar winning title song is probably the most notable thing about this Barbra Streisand vehicle in which no one else has a chance to register and the supporting roles feel more like cameos, and her hair, which is commented on throughout the film by various characters, deserves star billing. As Katie, a woman more or less equally in love with Robert Redford and her own social consciousness, Streisand looks good and is sometimes affecting, but neither she nor Redford are convincingly collegiate in their early scenes, and in the latter scenes that awkwardly and simplistically deal with the McCarthy era, both characters and their arguments become wearying. Neither the actors nor the details are persuasively period. And Redford is awful; his charm is studied, and he looks at Streisand with incredulity. Besides, his character is a dull, glib, deadbeat who seems to have majored in hairspray. Sydney Pollack who directed Tootsie and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? has done nothing to offset the film's inherent triteness, indeed he revels in clichés!

In my personal opinion, the combination of Streisand and the over-rated Robert Redford is already a mistake, let alone the mediocre script, the way the actors are directed, and a ridiculous plot! If Robert Redfod was any good at acting at all to begin with, he was better with Paul Newman (and thats a big IF). He is worse in Out of Africa, and even worse in this failure of a movie. The guy can't act his way out of a paper bag, but even this movie is bad compared to others he starred in. Barbra Streisand is no exception. My personal problem with her are those looks. She seriously should consider a nose job or something! In conclusion, "The Way We Were" was a waste of time and money to make, and a waste of time to view.

Actually, "The Way We Were" is both, and happily so. It's a classy romantic period drama about a 1940s wallflower in New York who blooms in love with her ex-jock boyfriend (an old acquaintance from their college days), and the movie overflows with star-power. None of today's celebrities have the kind of chemistry Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford bring to the screen, and Streisand in particular is so deeply into this character that the herky-jerky editing and breathless writing don't harm her or get in the way (the faults can easily be overlooked). When writer Redford adapts his novel into a screenplay and the couple marries and moves to Hollywood in the McCarthy-Blacklist era, her passion for politics gets them both in hot water; that's where this script hits a snag, with increasingly melodramatic plotting (Redford's affair with a former flame) and confusion in the character motivations (this primarily due to hasty, eleventh-hour editing). Still, it is a handsomely-produced movie with a great tearjerker ending and two fine stars who plow right through the nonsense and bumpy continuity. They transcend the make-believe surroundings, turning the picture into something really special, something to remember. ***1/2 from ****