The Way We Were (1973)

63% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(20,442 ratings)

"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 Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford) with her passionate pacifism, while the writing talent beneath his… More "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 Hubbell 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Sydney Pollack
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 19, 1973 Wide
On DVD: May 22, 2001
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A distended, talky, redundant and moody melodrama.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
A for effort; C for execution.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It's easy to forgive the movie a lot because of Streisand. She's fantastic.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Old-fashioned sudser.
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 together, not to mention Hamlisch's melodic tone.
, Film4
The politics are relegated to the background, and what is left is a commercially astute weepie.
, 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.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
Sentimental but not overly smaltzy
, 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.
, 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.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Ultra glossy soaper that's frankly irresistible.
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
Syrupy and over-rated.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
certainly a classic of its kind
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
Some movies just don't stand the test of time.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Comes off as about as believable as a love affair between myself and a potted plant.

Read all 15 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Cassie H

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… More
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 you'll love this Redford/Streisand classic. Love this movie :) You will too :) Just great :)
AJ V

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.
Dean M

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.
jay n

poignant
Leigh R

It was okay...
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/1znn3nm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> The Way We Were,was a romantic comedy starring Barbra Streisand and… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/1znn3nm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> The Way We Were,was a romantic comedy starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford and directed by Sidney Pollack.Barbra gave here her 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.
Erin C

Sweet story. The ending actually worked for this one. I enjoyed it.
Leo L

Interesting!

Read all 8 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Barbra Streisand as Katie Morosky

            Robert Redford as Hubbell Gardiner

            Bradford Dillman as J.J.

            Patrick O'Neal as George Bissinger

            Viveca Lindfors as Paula Reisner

            Lois Chiles as Carol Ann

            Susan Blakely as Judianne

            Eric Boles as Army Corporal

            Herb Edelman as Bill Verso

            Diana Ewing as Vicki Bissinger

            Constance Forslund as Jenny

            George Gavnes as El Morocco

            Murray Hamilton as Brooks Carpenter

            Roy Jenson as Army Captain

            Marcia Mae Jones as Peggy Vanderbilt

            Don Keefer as Radio Actor

            Brendan Kelly as Rally Speaker

            Sally Kirkland as Pony Dunbar

            Allyn Ann McLerie as Rhea Edwards

            Edward Power as Airforce

            Dan Seymour as Guest

            Andrea True
            
            Suzanne Zenor as Dumb Blonde

            James Woods as Frankie McVeigh

            Don Koll as Officer Dining

            Robert Gerringer as Dr. Short

            Robert Dahdah as Officer Passing Plaza

            Barbara Peterson Davis as Ash Blonde
See full cast

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