The Way We Were is a classic film that features two of the most famous celebrities still living today. Opposites can attract but they can also pull at the seams of an unsteady relationship like nothing else can. Katie and Hubbell couldn’t be any more opposite since she is the type to let her flag fly when she finds a cause to champion and he’s the type that will just let things sit as they are while taking the easy way out. That might sound like one of the worst matchups in the history of romance but somehow people are drawn to those that are opposite of themselves and can’t help but fall in love at times simply because the other person is so different. Unfortunately since Katie insists on pushing Hubbell to maximize his potential he eventually tires of the pressure and moves on with his life.
All they’re left with at that point is the memory of the way they were.
10. The McCarthy witch hunts were cut down quite a bit.
Despite being a very important time in Hollywood the director decided to cut these scenes down to a very minimal amount of time.
9. Streisand and Redford had very different acting styles.
Streisand felt the need to get as deep into the role as she could be reading and reviewing the script while Redford approached it intuitively.
8. The director removed a few pivotal scenes in the movie.
To be honest they seemed like very important scenes that could have continued or set the tone for the situations that were being dealt with.
7. This was one of the first films that dealt with the blacklisting period in Hollywood.
The McCarthy Era was very hard on Hollywood and lasted from the 1940’s into the 50’s. Not many films would initially touch this subject.
6. Streisand changed the titular song just a bit.
She was allowed to change a couple of lines to make it flow just a little better.
5. Redford wasn’t really happy with the many cuts made to the movie.
He wasn’t happy with the cuts but he agreed that it was more of a love story than a political one. He and the rest of the cast trusted the director enough to go along with it.
4. The atmosphere on set was usually pretty tense.
This had a lot to do with the fact that the director and the screenwriter didn’t always get along. Streisand would usually side with the writer.
3. Warren Beatty was considered for the role of Hubbell.
He might have been good in the role but Redford seemed a better idea for someone that could play a character that’s constantly aloof and doesn’t want to be bogged down.
2. Streisand almost didn’t sing in the film.
She resisted at first but was talked into it. The addition of her voice was definitely a reason why it was so popular.
1. There were crowds of fans all over Manhattan when Redford and Streisand were around.
As soon as fans found out that Streisand and Redford were pairing up in the movie it was hard to really keep fans from approaching them en masse.
Sometimes the way you were is better as a memory.
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