The Way We Were

1973
PG
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

28K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer2:25

During post-WWII McCarthyism, a diametrically opposed couple come together only to find out that genuine friendship and physical attraction is not enough to overcome fundamental societal bel... Read allDuring post-WWII McCarthyism, a diametrically opposed couple come together only to find out that genuine friendship and physical attraction is not enough to overcome fundamental societal beliefs.During post-WWII McCarthyism, a diametrically opposed couple come together only to find out that genuine friendship and physical attraction is not enough to overcome fundamental societal beliefs.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

28K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

3,833

559

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 2 Oscars
- 6 wins & 8 nominations total

Trivia
Robert Redford was unhappy with cuts made to the film following a preview. He said, "I think we'd both have preferred a more political Dalton Trumbo -type script, but finally Sydney came down on the side of the love story. He said, 'This is first and foremost a love affair,' and we conceded that. We trusted his instincts, and he was right."

Goofs
In California, Katie is holding a "hot" pot and offers it to Hubbell. He takes a spoonful and notes that it is, indeed, hot. However, moments later, Katie is holding the bottom of the pot with her bare hands.

Quotes
Hubbell Gardner: People are more important than their principles.
Katie Morosky Gardner: People ARE their principles.

Connections
Featured in Film Extra: Sydney Pollock (1973)

Soundtracks
The Way We Were
Composed by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman
Sung by Barbra Streisand before the opening credits and during the end credits.
Music played often in the score

User reviews142

Review

Featured review

breathless

Had to see this one again after years had elapsed between viewings, and the hair brushed from the face ending still gets to me. Weep weep, boo hoo. Speaking of hair, Babs looks better with her hair curly here, it always seems stiff flattened out. I still can't figure out if Hubbel was challenged by Katie or if he fell for her because he knew she loved him deeply, even if their relationship was based more on her attraction to him than his to hers. I never thought he truly felt comfortable with her. Because she was so "serious" all the time, as he tried to tell her. Romance was bound to fail because he could never think about other people the way she did and she in turn could never relax. The public confrontation during the communist witch hunt is the last straw and eventually leads us to the sidewalks of New York, where Katie's hair is curly again and Hubbel comments that she must have lost her iron. A truly moving romance with some stretches of dullness here and there but never at the expense of character. Both stars look great, with Streisand definitely robbed at Oscar time.