The Way We Were

It's WWII. Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand) is a Jewish girl working in New York radio pumping out patriotic programming among her many activist jobs. In a nightclub, she runs into former crush and Naval officer Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford). In college, she was a communist student leader struggling to rally against Franco with Frankie McVeigh (James Woods). He was the WASP star athlete, the man around campus, and outwardly lived a carefree life. He's taken with her tenacity and she admires his writing. In the post war years, they are married in Hollywood where he writes for the studio and she fights against Mcarthyism.

She has the better part. He's playing the trophy wife. His hemming and hawing with his writing is a bit infuriating. He's too cool for school except for a few emotional outbursts. Those are great for showing some depth in his character although the couple seems to have only two polar opposite gears. As for her, Streisand gives it her all. There is a grating edge to her character which is not that appealing. I do like that these two flawed characters struggle with their undeniable connection until I can't take their unending fight about politics. Another issue is the unchanging Grecian God beauty of Redford's look. This movie takes place over decades. He needs to change. Maybe give him a buzz cut during the war years. There is the famous song which I wouldn't diss or praise. Pollack delivers a solid melodrama although the relationship gets too melodramatic at times.

Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford look wonderful in this great story of doomed love. Character development (or arc) is supposed to be one of the basic elements of a good screenplay; but the whole point of Sydney Pollack's 1973 movie is that neither Katie Moroski nor Hubbell Gardner changes. She remains the serious-minded Jewish left-wing activist, and he the easy-going, politically uncommitted WASP, they are when they first meet in college in 1937. Fascinated with each other precisely because they are such opposites, they have an affair, marry and have a baby; but their inability to compromise - or in his case to stop compromising - leads to break-up.

The main action spans the eventful decade from the Spanish Civil War and New Deal, through WWII, to the McCarthy era, by which time Katie and Hubbell have moved from New York to Hollywood, where he is a screenwriter. Though melodramatic and sketchy, the political dimension of the story should not be underestimated; this is one of the very rare American movies in which a communist is treated sympathetically. Presumably much of this side of the scenario stemmed from the personal experience of writer Arthur Laurents, who was the same age as his protagonists, and who had McCarthy-related problems.

Both stars are perfect for their roles; we can see what they see in each other; and we desperately want it to work for them, though we know it won't! Notable in support are Bradford Dillman, Lois Chiles, and James Woods. The theme song, emotionally delivered by Streisand as only she can, is beautiful, but the relevance of its nostalgic lyric to this clear-eyed movie is doubtful.

"The Way We Were" released in 1973, stars two of the biggest names in show biz then and now, Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The story is basically a weepy melodrama, but who cares? Both of these superstars are the reason to watch. At first, we cannot imagine what they see in one another. They meet in college, circa 1937 -- Katie (Streisand) is a wallflower political activist, Hubble (Redford) is the Golden Boy track star. Yes, both were too old to play college students, so it is obvious the director surrounded them with people their own age, with some decent supporting actors like Lois Chiles and a younger James Woods. The two are reunited by World War II, Redford is in the military but also part of the uppity "Beekman Street" crowd, Streisand is a liberal who is nuts about FDR and working on various political causes. The unlikely twosome fall in love, get married, and do not always have an easy time. Redford doesn't mind his wife's political activity, but he is bored by politics and cannot relate to them. The turbulent 1950's hit, Redford is a writer in "Red Scare" Hollywood who takes the easy way out; Streisand believes people should always stand up for their principles, no matter the cost. Sydney Pollack directed this fine film, and had to convince his friend Redford to take on the part of Hubble Gardner; Redford was reluctant, and it is easy to see why. His character, while a decent guy at heart, is also shallow, somewhat superficial, and doesn't take life seriously. The film obviously exploits Redford's golden boy looks, something he always detested. Streisand's part is obviously the more interesting one, as the part was exclusively written for her. And while her character may not fit in on "Beekman Street," she looks fabulous here. All in all, this is one of the finest romances to come out of the 1970's that also has intelligence and class.

There are movies about love being made all of the time. After awhile, they all begin to look the same. However, once in awhile, one is made that truly stands out. THE WAY WE WERE is such a film. This film, mixing love and politics, finds two individuals (Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford) who meet in college, but years pass before a romance blooms. She is an political activist, he's bored by politics. She's stern and serious, he's easygoing and laid-back. Although they love each other deeply, their differences begin to tear them apart. As far as romantic tearjerkers go, they don't get much better than this. Both Striesand and Redford are perfectly cast and their characters are ones in which viewers will grow to love and care about. Many viewers will also appreciate the realistic ending. This is a beautiful film.

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.