The Way They Made It
The Way We Were started off as a novel by Arthur Laurents. Initially he had been asked to write Barbra a role, something like Julie Andrews in The Sound Of Music. However, both he and Barbra agreed that it was silly, but Barbra asked him to keep her in mind for any other role he might write. That's when the first treatment for The Way We Were came to be. Barbra loved the no-nonsense Jewish communist-supporter and was extremely excited about making the movie. Sydney Pollack was then sent the treatment, and he remembers being extremely impressed, not so much with the politics, but with the love story behind all of that. Sydney and Barbra met and agreed that they were happy tyo work on it - all they needed now was the leading man, and Barbra and Sydney both thought that Robert Redford was the only guy capable of taking on the challenge.

However, Robert wanted none of it. He felt the character had no 'substance', and was really just the guy that stood and did nothing. Sydney Pollack admits that he worked harder to get Robert in the movie than he had for anyone else. Eventually Robert agreed to make the movie on the condition that they fleshed out the character of Hubbel gardiner - which they did. When the script was completed to satisfaction, production went ahead on the film.

The production was a relatively smooth shoot, the co-stars getting along marvelously. It was clear the first day that their was a wonderful chemistry between the two unlikely-couple. Every love scene was beautifully sensitive and alive.

When the film premiered, it was a complete flop. People felt there was just too much politics, and they wanted more love story. So, Sydney took out a few of the scenes (to Barbra's discontent) and Marvin added the theme song to the end of the film, bookmarking it. Then, on the secodn preview (and with the mild changes) audiences went beserk. They loved the film, they wanted more. People were crying, screaming out for more - it was phenomenal. Not only did the film do extremely well at the box office, it also made famous the love song The Way We Were, performed wonderfully by Barbra Streisand.

To this day The Way We Were is a classic movie. People still cry to the heart-breaking ending, and there have been many rumours of a sequel. Sequel or no sequel, The Way We Were is a timeless classic, and its appeal has spread from generation to generation.
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