Last night I watched “The Way We Were,” the 1973 film with Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. I really really liked it!!
I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did, because I had always heard of it in the context of being a romance film. From the first few scenes, I knew I would like it for more than that. Not only is it set in the 1930s-50s with awesome costumes, but Katie (Barbra) works in a radio studio, which is so cool. I want to live her life, especially with all the craziness of the time period.
Then I loved it even more when Barbra started singing “The Way We Were,” to a montage of her and Robert Redford throughout their early relationship, which my mom accurately deemed “one of the best openings in history.” Both of them are so beautiful especially as young people.
Just when I thought I couldn’t get into it more, it turns out Katie is the leader of the Youth Communist League at her college and is a very politically active Jewish college student. Which seems appropriate for me. Of course, her love interest Hubble (Robert Redford) is a fantastic writer who doesn’t share her enthusiasm. Hubble wants to move to Hollywood to make his novel into a film, while Katie is reluctant. Their relationship has to hurdle differing politics and aspirations for their careers, straddling New York and Los Angeles, all during the McCarthy Era in which Communists were investigated by the US government. Even though it’s complicated, and there are lots and lots of flaws in their relationship, you want it to work.
One of my favorite lines from the show is a subtle Communist joke, in which Hubble’s friend who’s a Hollywood producer says something along the lines of “We’re having a Marx brothers party later. Katie, you can be Karl.” I thought that was hilarious. I hope you get it :)
I was surprised by how open to Communism the movie was, considering that it was made in Hollywood in the 70s when the USSR was still active and the Cold War was far from over. Well, the characters weren't so open to Katie, but just the fact that the movie was sympathetic to Communists at all surprised me in a good way. I wonder what Barbra thought about playing the role. It's kind of like a rite of passage for young Jewish girls to look up to Barbra for her talent, her reluctance to change her appearance, her being a Jewish icon, etc. I love her even more for doing this part.
Obviously I don’t want to spoil the movie so I won’t say more but I really recommend it! It covers a huge chunk of their relationship, both romantic and career-wise, and everyone in it was so great. It makes me want to have a relationship like theirs, even with all the ups and downs. Somehow, despite their differences, they keep finding their way back to each other. It's a fun quarantine movie that made me really excited for college and politics and life in general!
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