THE WAY WE WERE

US, 1973, 118 minutes, Colour.
Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford, Bradford Dillman, Lois Chiles, James Wood, Patrick O'Neal, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by Sydney Pollack.

The Way We Were is in the nostalgia vein. It makes us look at its love story, not as if we were fully amid the uncertainties of its situations at the time, but rather, we are seeing the dilemmas with a vivid hindsight. The style of the film is leisurely (with plenty of close-ups and profiles of the stars), but it gradually grows on the audience. It seems a sad film by the ending - wasted parts of people's lives, misunderstandings that might have been solved. Barbra Streisand has her usual vitality and strength; of Robert Redford is asked golden boy charm (and weakness?). A pleasant, yet bitter-sweet look at the 40's, the U.S. and life's ironies.

1. What did the title mean? From what point of view was the title spoken? A retrospect from 1950 or a retrospect from 1973? What would be the different effect in taking either of these dates? The distancing of the events portrayed from 1950 or from the present day? What kind of nostalgic look-back was this film? How did this determine the response of the audience to the film?

2. What did Barbra Streisand's singing of the theme song add to the opening of the film and its atmosphere?

3. How well was the music and the theme used throughout the film - for emotional response and poignancy and nostalgia? was this an asset of the film?

4. How important were the stars of this film? The impact of Barbra Streisand's personality, her Jewish humour etc.? Audience response to her as a superstar? The choice of Robert Redford for the Hollywood 'golden boy? Audience response to him as a romantic hero? Were the stars an asset to the film or did they detract from the themes?

5. How much sentiment was there in this film? How much romance? How much dream? Were these aspects well portrayed or were they indulged in? Why?

6. How strong a story did the film have? Not only the romance but the social background of America in the 30s and 40s? The implications of disillusion for the parent generation of the 70s' younger people? How important was this for the impact of the film?

7. Did the film blend the romantic story with the social backgrounds successfully? The campus atmosphere of the 30s and Katie's speech about Spain? The War Effort of the 40s and Roosevelt? The post-war glamour of Hollywood and yet the enquiries into the Leftists in Hollywood? How were these portrayed in the film, realistically or glossily?

8. Was the initial flashback technique successful? The presentation of Hubbell as drunk and therefore at a disadvantage with Katie in the ascendant? The impact then of the flashback for our curiosity? And then with that as background, the thrust forward of the story?

9. What did we learn of Hubbell and Katie in the Class of '37 world? The importance of her speech-making and the students' response to it? Her work in the cafeteria and Hubbell's chance meeting of her? Hubbell's smart eastern set with their 'in' jokes and style? Audience response to this? The classroom and the creative writing? Katie's desire to be like Hubbell and Hubbell's easy success? How did they actually encounter one another and what fascinated each with the other?

10. How important were causes for Katie? How bound up was she with the principles of the 30s and Communism? How bound up was she with the War Effort and her idolization of Roosevelt? Did she work on principle or was she just attracted to causes by her personality? How strong a character was she? Was she too forceful and driving?

11. How did Hubbell contrast with his easiness? Was he a strong character at all? Why was he attracted to Katie?

12. How did the 1944 affair begin? His sleepy going home to her flat? The emotional reaction on her? Her pushing the affair and enticing him to her home each time? Did love ensue? Did they really understand each other? Did they know each other? Did Katie know Hubbell and her own reactions? Did she think she could change him? Did Hubbell know Katie and his own reactions? Was he willing for Katie to change him?

13. What did the film have to say about class distinctions in America? Religious divergences - Jewish and Protestant? Differences of interests in class, religious and ethnic groups? The nature of the clashes between classes -Hubbell and Katie at her restaurant in the 30s, the party and Roosevelt's death in the 40s, the world of Hollywood and the Leftists and the Right-wing people, the Groucho and the Marx Brothers party etc.? Were these observations well done or were they made in passing?

14. Did you like J.J.? How was he explained by his background? His smartness and his weakness? His partial success in Hollywood, his wealth, his unhappiness? Why had he married Carole Ann? How good a wife was she? How much just a pretty face from a smart set at University? Why did she have an affair with Hubbell? Did he love her? She him? How destructive for J.J. was this? How destructive for Katie?

15. How interesting was the Hollywood period? And the development of the plot? In the presentation of Hollywood life and the making of films, the writing, the editing, Hubbell's participation, the directors like George Bissinger and his style of life, critics like Paula and her style of life? Brooks Carpenter?

16. The importance of the anti-American enquiries? As a reality in Hollywood, touching people like Bissinger? Paula? As frightening people like Hubbell who would testify? of challenging people like Katie who would not compromise and would demonstrate? The impact of the sequence of the people's return from Washington? What effect did this have on their marriage? Why?

17. Could the marriage have been saved? Katie's pregnancy and looking forward to the child? Gradually changing as she grew older?

18. How was the film an illustration of idealism without compromise, not being compatible with compromise?

19. How ironic was the postscript of the film? Katie with her causes and unchanged? Hubbell and his comfortable life and girlfriend? No change? The sadness of the fact that they had encountered one another and yet their ways had parted?

20. Although this was a commercial film, how valuable was it in exploring personalities and their social background?