Misty Watercolor Memories

"When political commitment was stronger than personal commitment"

At the moment when I finished watching this classic movie of 1973, I know that I have to write something immediately. Otherwise, I will lose it again. I remembered that last time I saw it, I was still a kid who knew nothing about love. I could not understand the bitterness of two people who loved each other so deeply being apart eventually.

Here, I should thank my friend who gave me a second opportunity to review it after all these years. Since it's a DVD version with an hour long documentary, I could watch all the deleted scenes and the making of the movie. There are several scenes that I don't think it should have been cut. The political backgrounds (that is, the McCarthy Era, the House Committee on Un-American Activities' Communist's witch hunt and the jailing of the Hollywood Ten), Katie's feeling of losing herself and the real reason that they broke up, they all clarify the storyline. Without these scenes, there's a big jump that although you can connect the pieces together and continue watching, you just couldn't neglect the fact that something important is missing. It's very clear that the cuts were done to appeal the audience at that time. A pure love story without political elements would be more acceptable. As Lucia Bozzola of All Movie Guide said, despite the eviscerated politics, The Way We Were poignantly captures the insoluble dilemma of reconciling private desires with public awareness. A good movie moves the audience, communicates with them, leaves some room for imagination, and maybe make them to think a little bit. (To watch some the omitted scenes, click here.)

Robert Redford was so charming in this movie, especially at the end. You can feel the pain by looking into his eyes. He tried so hard to hide it, but you still can feel it in the way he looked at her. It's so real that I almost bursted into tears. In addition, one could never forget how the two are reunited in a New York nightclub almost eight years later, how the way Katie brushed his hair (and later, again and again), so dearly, while he's snoozing. Remember how the gorgeous goyish guy tied her shoelaces at the open cafe? He patted on her foot, his hands stayed for a little bit longer. Then, all of a sudden, you knew how much he loved her. You just believed the great screen chemistry, not by looks, but by hearts. He admired her passionate pacifism, and loved the way she was. She admired his writing talent beneath the privileged exterior and loved him back, supporting him to be a good writer.

Someone thinks that Hubbell, the character Redford played, is a soft man without spine. I don't agree on it. That guy is weak to some extent that he could not express his true feelings in front of Katie. But he is also sophisticated. He's able to see both sides of the story and realize how dangerous it could be in the middle of politics, while Katie, the Jewish radical girl, could only see one side and fight for it all the way, never giving up. In fact, without her force of will, it might have never happened. Hubbell's frustrated with the politics. He couldn't get a writing job in Hollywood only because he has a "subversive wife". Finally we saw the inevitable solution to their problem. Their split was based on politics more than Hubbell's infidelity. How sad! Their romance went through all the bumpy roads and at last met a dead end.

Hubbell Gardner[to Katie]:You hold on and I don't know how. And I wish I did. Maybe you were born committed... I can't get negative enough. I can't get angry enough. And I can't get positive enough.

Hubbell Gardner: I don't see how you can do it.
Katie Morosky Gardner: And I don't see how you can't.

Robert Redford's acting is very intuitive. I guess that's the quality to make him a great director and producer as well. From Brad Pitt, you sometime could find Redford at his early age. For example, in "A River Runs Through It" and "Meet Joe Black". But Pitt is lacking the kind of sensibility that Redford has. Redford caught my eyes in many movies, such as Out of Africa, The Great Gatsby, The Sting, All the President's Men, Indecent Proposal, Up Close & Personal, and The Horse Whisperer. I have to say, he is a heartthrob indeed.

Mark Twain wrote：
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than those you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Give yourself away to the sea of life.