The Way We Were

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2:23

The Way We Were

PG,

1973,

1h 58m,

Romance

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64%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Opposites attract when, during their college days, Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand), a politically active Jew, meets Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford), a feckless WASP. Years later, in the wake of World War II, they meet again and, despite their obvious differences, marry. Hubbell wants to be a screenwriter, so the two move to California despite Katie's objections. They prosper there, but as the Hollywood blacklist looms, Katie's activism threatens her husband's reputation.

Critics Consensus

The Way We Were is not politically confrontational enough for its story of ideological opposites falling in love to feel authentic, but Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford's beaming star power gives this melodrama romantic lift.

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Kenneth Robins

Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 7, 2022

The Way We Were... is not really a valid title, for so few of us were this way.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Jan 20, 2022

The Way We Were is a fluke -- a torpedoed ship full of gaping holes that comes snugly into port.

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Jesse Hassenger

AV Club

Nov 14, 2018

For a screen romance with huge movie stars, that sentiment feels pretty real.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Oct 8, 2025

2.5/4

... fascinating as a study of Streisand and Redford's onscreen personas.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Nov 9, 2023

3/5

What maintains The Way We Were through its potential cringes is the realism of the romantic arc and the believable chemistry between the two leads -- equal passion and frustration, at times a perfect romance and others a doomed affair.

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Oct 16, 2023

4.5/5

Casting Streisand and Redford was brilliant as they are clearly on opposite ends of the spectrum but have an obvious onscreen chemistry that makes the movie work.

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Feb 10, 2019

OK - INSECURE MALES AFRAID TO ADMIT TO SENTIMENT - IT IS A LOVELY LOVELY FILM - IT TOUCHES EMOTIONS - IT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT YOUTHFUL IDEALISM AND HOW WE GROW FROM THAT AND THE CONSEQUENCES IT BRINGS - THE FILM IS GORGEOUS - IT IS GORGEOUS!! PERHAPS IT WOULD RESONATE MORE IF IT WERE ABOUT SUPER HEROES OR ALIENS, HUH? - A MOVIE THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES REAL LIFE - TOO MUCH FOR THE FILM GOING AUDIENCE OF TODAY- THE 70'S- I BELIEVE WAS THE TRUE HOLLYWOOD GOLDEN AGE - TV IS SO MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT AND INSIGHTFUL NOWADAYS - HATE AWAY!!

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Dec 26, 2018

The historical details are sensitively worked into the story. Brilliant acting of them both...what else to expect from two Hollywood icons.It is a political movie if you want so and are open minded and historical educated. It is just a love story... a little drama if you want so. I did enjoy both aspects of the movie. A brilliant song is the jewel in the crown!

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Sep 29, 2018

I watched this movie when first release in the theater and now 40+ yrs later. Both the movie and I are showing the age. I have no idea what i could have seen in this movie orginally. The story itself is boring and basically so are the characters. The directors needed Redford and Strisand for the lead roles. It was the only plus worth watching. Really insulting script and characters for both.

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Han W

Aug 11, 2018

When sentiments used to be the reality

Theodore L

Jun 19, 2018

Streisand and Redford have no chemistry together, the dialogue is usually awkward and awful, the love story is completely artificial and Streisand's character is so insufferably anal that it is hard to believe that anyone would ever fall in love with someone like that.

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Harry W

Jun 16, 2018

not my favorite Babs movie but its better than others. I didn't love the acting but I liked the plot. If you want a good Barbra movie when she's a little older than Yentl in the way to go.

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Sydney Pollack

Director

Barbra Streisand

Katie

Robert Redford

Hubbell

Bradford Dillman

J.J.

Murray Hamilton

Brooks Carpenter

Patrick O'Neal

George Bissinger

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Know Your Critic: Max Weiss, Editor-in-Chief at Baltimore Magazine

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Synopsis

Opposites attract when, during their college days, Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand), a politically active Jew, meets Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford), a feckless WASP. Years later, in the wake of World War II, they meet again and, despite their obvious differences, marry. Hubbell wants to be a screenwriter, so the two move to California despite Katie's objections. They prosper there, but as the Hollywood blacklist looms, Katie's activism threatens her husband's reputation.

Director: Sydney Pollack
Producer: Ray Stark
Screenwriter: Arthur Laurents
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 1973, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 21, 2010
Runtime: 1h 58m

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