I am all for the perfect storybook romance. I like to, no, love to sob at a movie about unrequited love. I root for the heroine or hero that look like they just fell off the ugly tree just because everyone should have an equal opportunity for love. I at times may root for the protagonist in a film just because I think maybe their hearts will be changed by a love so true. I admit it, I am a sucker and a hopeless romantic. That is why I allowed myself to be drawn in, like a magnet to the fridge, to the movie entitled The Way We Were starring a fresh faced and handsome as ever Robert Redford (I have a secret obsession with redheaded men, don’t tell my husband who has no hair), and an equally young Barbara Streisand, who I would say was in her prime.

I suppose if you don’t analyze the film and accept it with it’s sugar-coated, most awful ending then you will be whistling Dixie if that is the kind of unrealistic romance you believe in. I let myself indulge in it’s corny ending for about a minute before I became angry at Katie. She epitomized all it is to be a self-depreciating, lack of self esteem, will beg for love, kind of woman. I wanted to scream, “Get a backbone Woman!” She tricks Hubbel into sleeping with her by sneaking into bed as he is passed out drunk. Her plan goes awry when he falls asleep kissing her. Get a grip woman. Have some pride.

Ok, so I cried like a baby without his bottle at the finish, but that does not negate the fact that this female character was made to be so weak that she defined herself through the man she was with. She quieted the fighting spirit in her soul because her man Hubbel wanted a woman who was more carefree and did not take life so seriously. True, Katie did get on my nerves with her soap box preaching and her lack of being able to laugh at any situation, but it does not excuse her from giving up her passion for the love of a man who clearly wanted someone a little less complicated. A Barbie doll would have suited him more.

I won’t divulge the whole movie as I know that for the die hard romantics out there who haven’t seen this movie, they will likely rip out my tongue for giving everything away. Hey but I have to make a comment about the ridiculous end of the movie. Katie might as well have begged for Hubbel to stay with her until their baby was born, the begging was all in the eyes I tell you. He stays as a favor, it cuts to a few years later and they see each other across a crowded New York street, their eyes meet and they run into each other’s arms. You almost believe they will walk away hand in hand except for the fact that Hubbel is now with another woman.
I’m getting to the end now, to where I start fuming because this woman is such a push over. She might as well lie down and say “ok, walk all over me”. They exchange some words as the music in the background suggests the love they shared. I am wondering, ‘when is she going to bring up the baby?’  Until Katie says that he should come by for a drink and he replies, “you know I can’t”. And then she says, to my astonishment, “I know” Then he says,” How is she?  is he a good father?” and she tells him yes, and he is ok with that. That’s pretty much it.
Did I miss something? What strong, opinionated woman, (who she was made out to be at the beginning and end of the movie) would beg a man to stay with her, forgive him for cheating on her while she is pregnant with his child, compromise her passions for his sake, when clearly he did not love her for who she truly was, and not ask for any sort of support for their child and accept that he did not wish to see the child because maybe it was all too much for him? What woman would accept that from a man unless she clearly did not love herself?  Her character is an oxymoron. How does the relationship end because she is too strong a woman for him to handle but she cannot utter the words, ” child support” to this man?  It’s not like they were enemies, could she not have told Hubbel to be a real man and take some responsibility for the child he helped to bring into this world? Aggh. So annoying. I know, I know, now I am on my soap box but darn it to betsy, I just wanted to paint across her forehead, via the TV screen, “use me, abuse me, then leave me, I’m ok with that”. I love Robert Redford but this role did not do him any justice. (See The Horse Whisperer instead if you love him like I do)

It was a sappy love story made in the 70’s I know, but could they have given Women a better name? Given Love a better name? Aww well, at least the theme song Memories can make a heart stir and bring a tear to any romantic’s eyes.  It is a movie like The Way We Were that strengthens my loyalty to any movie that has a character named Mr. Darcy. He never fails a woman. Check out Bridget Jones Diary...he loved her just as she is.