![[box cover]](../reviewimgs/w/waywewere.jpg)
The Way We Were: Special Edition
Barabra Streisand and Robert Redford star in this mature, epic romance from screenwriter Arthur Laurents and director Sydney Pollack. This delicate, intelligent film chronicles two decades of love and struggle between Katie, a passionate Jewish communist, and Hubbell, a charming blue-blood who's allergic to conflict. These two are attracted to each other's strengths, but it's those same qualities that threaten to tear their affectionate relationship asunder. The politically turbulent backdrop of McCarthyism creates a stirring, provocative canvas for this realisitc love story of the 1970s. The make-or-break factor is Streisand, who is exasperating as self-righteous Katie -- some may find her hopelessly irritating -- but her performance is perfectly tuned and delivered for the purposes of the picture. Redford is her perfect antidote, cool and balanced, but also exposing a few moral holes in his all-American archetype. This is a great showcase for him. As Streisand chews up the scenery, he's able to say more with a shift of his eyes than most actors could do with a 90-minute monologue. When Pollack is on form, his touch is impeccable, as evidenced here. This disc contains a few unusual glitches straight from the source print, which apparently wasn't very carefully spliced together, and occassionally the picture shimmers on edits between scenes. Otherwise, it's a gorgeous 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with both DD 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Surround. Includes a commentary by Pollack and a 60-minute retrospective documentary with interviews and some excellent scenes from the cutting-room floor. Trailers, keep case.
