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Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford, Bradford Dillman, Patrick O'Neal, Viveca Lindfors ... see more see more... , Lois Chiles , Susan Blakely , Eric Boles , Herb Edelman , Diana Ewing , Constance Forslund , George Gavnes , Murray Hamilton , Roy Jenson , Marcia Mae Jones , Don Keefer , Brendan Kelly , Sally Kirkland , Allyn Ann McLerie , Edward Power , Dan Seymour , Andrea True , Suzanne Zenor , James Woods , Don Koll , Robert Gerringer , Robert Dahdah , Barbara Peterson Davis

"Gorgeous goyish guy" meets Jewish radical girl in Sydney Pollack's glossy romance. In 1937, frizzy-haired Red co-ed Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand) briefly captures the attention of preppy jock Hubb... read more read more...ell Gardiner (Robert Redford) with her passionate pacifism, while the writing talent beneath his privileged exterior entrances her. Almost eight years later, the two are reunited in New York, when well-coiffed leftist radio worker Katie spies military officer Hubbell snoozing in a nightclub. Through her force of will, and in spite of his smug rich friends, the two opposites fall in love, sparring over Katie's activist zeal and Hubbell's writerly ambivalence after a failed first novel. They head to Hollywood so that Hubbell can write a screenplay for his buddy-turned-producer J.J. (Bradford Dillman). But the House Committee on Un-American Activities' Communist witch hunt in 1947 tears the pair apart, as a pregnant Katie refuses to keep silent about the jailing of the Hollywood Ten, while a faithless Hubbell decides to save his career. When the two meet again at the dawn of the '60s, TV hack Hubbell and A-bomb protestor Katie feel the old pull, but they have to decide if it's worth the grief. Although blacklisted writers had returned to Hollywood -- and won Oscars -- by the early 1970s, the HUAC sections of Arthur Laurents's screenplay were still considered dicey, resulting in substantial cuts; Laurents reportedly blamed star Redford for not fighting them hard enough. Regardless of the edits, and critics' complaints about the film's schlockiness, 1973 audiences went for the well-executed and still politically tinged weepie, turning The Way We Were into one of the most popular films of 1973 and Redford into a major heartthrob. Streisand won an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and the Streisand-sung title tune won for Best Song. Despite the eviscerated politics, The Way We Were poignantly captures the insoluble dilemma of reconciling private desires with public awareness. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

20,441 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

19 critics

PG, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Release Date: October 19, 1973

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DVD Release Date: May 22, 2001

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Stats: 1,426 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,426)

  • movieguru12
    March 24, 2011
    movieguru12
    Saddest romantic movie you'll ever see. Redford and Streisand have beautiful performances as they star in this romantic classic from the 70s set in the late 30s and 40s about two completly opposite people struggling in a relationship. If you are are a true romantic like I am yo... read moreu'll love this Redford/Streisand classic. Love this movie :) You will too :) Just great :)
  • ajv2688
    December 29, 2010
    ajv2688
    Although the acting is good in this movie, especially Redford, the story is long, slow, and boring. It has some good scenes, but overall it annoyed me. It's an okay movie, though.
  • deano
    May 27, 2009
    deano
    Wonderfully classic and slow-moving romantic film with Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford that rediscovers the magic, the music and the memories cannot be forgotten. But a portion dealing with the McCarthy Communist witch-hunt falls flat.
  • jjnxn
    February 25, 2009
    jjnxn
    poignant
  • dreamfaeries
    November 3, 2006
    dreamfaeries
    It was okay...
  • mvieaddict
    September 21, 2009
    mvieaddict
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    The Way We Were,was a romantic comedy starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford and directed by Sidney Pollack.Barbra gave here h... read moreer best performance, an activist who fell in love with the athlete Hubbert ( Redford) The movie was not only touching and romantic, but showed the political changes in America during the 50s. Redford's and Streisand's had a good chemistry on screen, but unfortunately they did not stay together in the end.The music was wonderful and Streisand sung the title song very beautiful. A must to see.
  • irisheyes686
    September 11, 2009
    irisheyes686
    Sweet story. The ending actually worked for this one. I enjoyed it.
  • ileo
    December 26, 2007
    ileo
    Interesting!
  • jusstpete
    May 13, 2012
    jusstpete
    Streisand and Redford a perfect match for this movie. I think Redford gave one of his best performances here.
  • fb39107385
    November 15, 2011
    fb39107385
    This is yet another case of a movie which I know is good and I know that others like/will like, but personally (a romance) doesn't fit my tastes.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
May 26, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

A distended, talky, redundant and moody melodrama. Full Review

Don Druker
May 26, 2008
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

A for effort; C for execution. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It's easy to forgive the movie a lot because of Streisand. She's fantastic. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 26, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Old-fashioned sudser. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 29, 2009
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

In Pollack's schmaltzy romantic melodrama, real politics is in the background (of course), but the movie is enjoyable as a star vehicle for its handsome stars, Redford and Streisand in their only film... Full Review

May 26, 2008
Film4

The politics are relegated to the background, and what is left is a commercially astute weepie. Full Review

May 26, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

An engrossing, if occasionally ludicrous, hit tearjerker with Pollack, Streisand, and Redford doing a good job of bringing Arthur Laurents' script to the screen. Full Review

John A. Nesbit
March 29, 2007
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews

Sentimental but not overly smaltzy

January 26, 2006
Time Out

With the script glossing whole areas of confrontation (from the communist '30s to the McCarthy witch-hunts), it often passes into the haze of a nostalgic fashion parade. Full Review

October 1, 2003
Austin Chronicle

The story of Jewish left-wing ugly duckling and the WASP prince with whom she falls in love encapsulates its time and emotions with knowing precision. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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