प्रिंस ऑफ़ टाइड्स

I have to admit that although I'm a great great fan of Barbra Streisand (having seen all her films) I unfortunately hadn't before this month the chance to watch this particular film.

First of all there's always the problem what one wants; to read the book or watch the film but since I then didn't own the book I had to see the film and indeed it made a huge impression on my. The cinematography and casting is superb and now after having read the book I realize that although a lot is left out in the film it wouldn't have been possible to include all the details of the book in the film.

Although it's a typical "Hollywood" film it has a deep sense of beaty and tragedy and I do believe that the film includes the most essential parts of the book in its own right. Of course we don't for instance hear a bit about the great grandmother and her life, nor her biblical husbond and certain parts of the book are changed in the film.

However it's a film that makes sense; tragedy, love and the southern way mixed in a very particular way and that especially is what, from my point of view, makes the film great. It's not just a funny or boring one, it really has something to tell all of us.

I do also feel that it shows the southern way of life in a very true manner although it can be strange compared to other places in the US we really here get to see what the southern parts of US is all about.

Barbra Streisand also in this film, as in all other ones where she appaears, is great; that lady really has talent and she knows it! Being a fabolous singer and a fabolus actress at the same time is quite somethng so again...bravo Barbra you're one of the absolutely best actresses.

The powerhouse performance by Nolte as a man troubled by his past carries this film version of the Pat Conroy novel, as brought to the screen by Streisand. Barbara is miscast as Nolte's shrink and love interest. Her work behind the camera is much better here and sadly it was not acknowledged by the Academy with at least a nomination.

As Billy Crystal quipped during his Oscar presentation song, "Did this film direct itself?" Barbra Streisand, producer, director, and leading lady in The Prince of Tides was almost completely snubbed at the 1991 Academy Awards. The film was up for Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, Music, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, and Art Direction, but she wasn't honored for her beautiful directing. From the opening scene, it's clear a professional with a vision is at the helm. Nick Nolte narrates through a scene of his childhood: he and his siblings run from home while their parents are fighting, jump off the dock into the water, and hold hands in a circle. "We found a silent soothing world where there was no pain. A world without mothers or fathers. We would make a circle bound by flesh and blood and water and only when we felt our lungs betray us would we rise towards the light." Three little heads pop up from the water's surface, and the opening titles start. It's truly beautiful.

There are so many scenes in The Prince of Tides that are moving and memorable, and they greatly outshine the less-than-stellar elements of the film. Nick Nolte plays a family man whose family life isn't particularly stable. He's spent a lifetime burying the secrets of the past, but when his sister, Melinda Dillon, tries to commit suicide, he travels from South Carolina to New York City and meets her therapist, Barbra Streisand. He and Barbra frequently clash, and while he is given very good lines to say, the way he says them is even better than they were written. He's quick to raise his voice, and when he does, it's clear he's releasing decades of pent-up emotion through his throat. Even when he's being a loving father to his three children, you can see the unresolved tension on his face.

You'd think it would be impossible to play against Nick's powerful performance and not give a very good one, but Blythe Danner proves my supposition wrong. She looks very pretty and has an absolutely adorable hairdo, but her acting leaves much to be desired. Then again, when you're watching Nick Nolte-who lost the gold to Anthony Hopkins for sixteen minutes of The Silence of the Lambs-you don't really care about Blythe Danner. Kate Nelligan, who plays Nick's mother, does do a very good job, so if you're a fan, you might want to see her only Oscar-nominated performance.

Normally, I don't really like movies that flash back and forth between the present and the past, but it's only because most directors don't handle the transitions very well. Ms. Streisand masters the difficult task, and every time the film flashes back to Nick's childhood, it's in an inventive, intriguing style. The "dual timeline" narrative is extremely popular nowadays, so if you like that style, you'll be in a great position to appreciate this marvelously crafted film. Before you rent it, though, just know that it's very heavy. You'll probably need to bring your Kleenexes, and you'll feel unsettled more than once. You might not want to watch this with your parents, and you should definitely put the kids to bed before movie night starts. It's extremely heavy.

My one problem with the film is the upsetting scenes involving child actors. I've always maintained that Hollywood should pass a "child labor law" where if a child is under the age of fifteen, they cannot be employed; instead, a computer-generator child actor should be used. I could go on for hours about the damage acting does to children, but I'll refrain. In 1991, computer technology wasn't very advanced, but I still feel the child actors should have been used as infrequently as possible. I recently read Ms. Streisand's memoir, and she insisted the section I'm referring to be included in the final screenplay. There were versions that wouldn't have used the children as much, and I firmly believe the movie would have been as effective if the section were revealed in dialogue with Nick instead of a visual flashback with the child actors. I'm sure there are audience members who disagree, but I just can't watch this movie (I've only seen it once) because I think of the emotional repercussions of the children. Besides that, Ms. Streisand's directing is flawless, and during the Hot Toasty Rag Awards, the board members proudly and unanimously awarded her Best Director.

Kiddy warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to upsetting situations involving children and adult material, I wouldn't let my kids watch this movie. Also, there may or may not be a rape scene.

I personally really like Barbra Streisand, and I think that this is a very good movie, even if not particularly for her own presence. The story is touchy and involving. The screenplay is well written and never exaggerated or out of track. Even the final cliché of the two main characters falling in love with each other is pretty well portrayed. Probably because it doesn't just happen during the final-five-minute-scene, but is developed enough to make it believable and not ridiculous. The soundtrack, by James Newton Howard, is lovely and really fulfills and underlines the whole movie. Technically, the finest work is done by the cinematography, which is warm and wrapping. The entire cast is good, especially Nick Nolte, who is very believable and delivers a great performance. Barbra Streisand is great behind the camera but only good in front of it. Playing the role of a rich, sophisticated, and independent woman she is kind of playing herself. Indeed, she is at her best when she doesn't have to deliver any line. Unarguably, because her charming presence by itself is enough to fill up the entire screen. She was probably too busy worrying about the way she looked than anything else. This probably wouldn't have happened if someone else were directing her. But then again, in that case we probably wouldn't have enjoyed her sweet and profound point of view.

Streisand directed Prince Of Tides in'91, and was not honored by the Oscars with a nomination for Best Director;. fortunately the Directors Guild and Golden Globes did not ignore her, and the film. Beautifully directed, acted, scored and phtographed, it deserved all the praise it has received. Some fans of the book were disappointed because so much was deleted.. true, maybe should have been or will someday be a mini series... but Streisand and Conroy, caught the heart of the book, the dysfunctional family.. and the problems that emerged in future generations; Nolte was excellent as was Kate Nelligan... see it again and again, Brava Babs !!