The Way We Were
Two desperate people have a wonderful romance, but their political views and convictions drive them apart.
- Director: Sydney Pollack
- Genre:Drama / Romance
- Runtime:118 minutes
Cast
Barbra Streisand: Katie Morosky
Robert Redford : Hubbell Gardner
Bradford Dillman: J.J.
Lois Chiles : Carol Ann
Patrick O’Neal : George Bissinger
The film is both a romance about star-crossed lovers and a morality tale about the importance of commitment to one’s ideals. Told in flashback, it is the story of Katie Morosky and Hubbell Gardiner, who meet at college in the 1930s. Their differences are immense: she is a stridently vocal Marxist Jew with strong anti-war opinions, and he is a carefree WASP with no particular political bent. She is drawn to him because of his boyish good looks and his natural writing skill, which she finds confident and captivating, although he doesn’t work very hard at it. He is intrigued by her conviction and her determination to persuade others to take up social causes. They meet, romantically, for the first time on the night that the Duke of Windsor marries Mrs. Simpson.
The two meet again at the end of World War II. She is working at a radio station, and he, having served as a Naval officer in the South Pacific, is trying to return to civilian life. They fall in love and marry despite the differences in their background and temperament. Soon, however, Katie is incensed by the cynical jokes Hubbell’s friends make and is unable to understand his acceptance of their insensitivity and shallow dismissal of political engagement. At the same time, his serenity is disturbed by her lack of social graces and her polarizing postures.
When Hubbell seeks a job as a Hollywood screenwriter, Katie believes he’s wasting his talent and encourages him to pursue writing as a serious challenge instead. Despite her growing frustration, they move to California, where he becomes a successful albeit desultory screenwriter, and the couple enjoys an affluent lifestyle. As the Hollywood blacklist grows and McCarthyism begins to encroach on their lives, Katie’s political activism resurfaces, jeopardizing Hubbell’s position and reputation. Read more
