The Way We Were (1973)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writer:

Arthur Laurents (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

19 October 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Everything seemed so important then .. even love!

Plot:

Two desperate people have a wonderful romance, but their political views and convictions drive them apart.

Plot Keywords:

College | Writing | Hollywood | Communist | Witch Hunt

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Barbra Streisand	...	Katie Morosky
Robert Redford	...	Hubbell Gardner
Bradford Dillman	...	J.J.
Lois Chiles	...	Carol Ann
Patrick O'Neal	...	George Bissinger
Viveca Lindfors	...	Paula Reisner
Allyn Ann McLerie	...	Rhea Edwards
Murray Hamilton	...	Brooks Carpenter
Herb Edelman	...	Bill Verso
Diana Ewing	...	Vicki Bissinger
Sally Kirkland	...	Pony Dunbar
Marcia Mae Jones	...	Peggy Vanderbilt
Don Keefer	...	Actor
George Gaynes	...	El Morocco Captain
Eric Boles	...	Army Corporal
Barbara Peterson	...	Ashe Blonde
Roy Jenson	...	Army Captain
Brendan Kelly	...	Rally Speaker
James Woods	...	Frankie McVeigh
Constance Forslund	...	Jenny (as Connie Forslund)
Robert Gerringer	...	Dr. Short
Susan Blakely	...	Judianne (as Susie Blakely)
Edward Power	...	Airforce (as Ed Power)
Susanne Zenor	...	Dumb Blonde (as Suzanne Zenor)
Dan Seymour	...	Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorian Cusick	...	Professor's Wife (uncredited)
Robert Dahdah	...	Officer Passing Plaza (uncredited)
Beverly Goodman	...	Young Lady Pedestrian (uncredited)
Marvin Hamlisch	...	Guest at movie screening (uncredited)
Don Koll	...	Officer Dining (uncredited)
Bruce Pecheur	...	Party guest (uncredited)
Cornelia Sharpe	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
Andrea True	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Sydney Pollack

Writing credits
Arthur Laurents		(written by)
David Rayfiel		uncredited

Produced by
Richard A. Roth	....	associate producer (as Richard Roth)
Ray Stark	....	producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Production Design by
Stephen B. Grimes		(as Stephen Grimes)

Set Decoration by
William Kiernan

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins
Moss Mabry

Makeup Department
Donald Cash Jr.	....	makeup artist
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Russell Saunders	....	unit production manager (as Russ Saunders)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hawk Koch	....	assistant director (as Howard Koch Jr.)
Jerry Ziesmer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	property master

Sound Department
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Kay Rose	....	sound effects
Jack Solomon	....	sound
Sharron Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jerry Trent	....	dance foley (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Taffet	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bernie Pollack	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Ken Runyon	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paulie DiCocco	....	driver: Barbra Streisand (uncredited)
James Morris	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty Crosby	....	script supervisor
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Carol Shapiro	....	unit publicist
Nicholas Barber	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Grover Dale	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Rastar Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1974) (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Ballston Spa, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Peter Bogdanovich turned down the chance to direct. He later regretted his decision.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the beginning of the film when there is a montage that depicts how athletic Hubbell Gardner is, there a shot showing a birds eye view of him throwing the discus. He throws the discus out of the throwing circle traveling from one side of the circle (9 o'clock) and sees him release the discus at the other side (3 o'clock). The correct position for releasing the discus is clearly marked on the circle at the 12 o'clock position.

Quotes:

Katie Morosky Gardner: Your girl is lovely, Hubbell.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "20 to 1: Girls on Film (#6.7)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

The Way We Were

Epic and anchored by the history of the century.

Oh, the way they used to make movies. Robert Redford and Babs. The ultimate star-crossed lovers, him a privileged golden boy for whom everything came too easy, but he knew it, and her a socialist politico who had to work harder for everything because she was plain, jewish, and poor.

Through Beekman Place, McCarthyism, Hollywood, World War II and the fact that they simply weren't cut out for each other, they tried until they couldn't try any more. Barbra is deep and intellectual, at least she wants to be, but ends up being the ultimate drama queen, "I'm not pretty enough for you, am I?" and "Nobody will ever love you like I do." Redford is aloof and chilly and beautiful and as shallow as a mud puddle.

BUT, if you can watch that last scene, "I can't Katie." "I know." and not open up the waterworks then pack up your DVD player and give it to the Goodwill, because movies are not for you.

Epic and anchored by the history of the century, The title, The Way We Were refers to all of us. It's how we once were when things mattered and we cared. Too often dismissed as a chick flick or a tear jerker, this is two of the best there ever were at their personal best.