The Way We Were is known as a Hollywood classic among the romance genre. The box office success was nominated for several awards and won the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score and Best Original Song. The two leads – heartthrob Robert Redford and the iconic Barbra Streisand – were sure to attract audiences around the nation. But as many film buffs know, the movie was not without controversy. With political themes such as McCarthyism and the Hollywood Blacklist, the movie rubbed some people involved the wrong way. The Way They Were by Robert Hofler is a deep dive into how the film production’s drama and controversy almost left the beloved movie on the cutting room floor. 

The book’s full title is The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen. While a mouthful, the full title is an apt summary of what the story entails. I will preface my review by saying that I really did not care about these events. I’ve never heard of the movie. And yes, I am familiar with Streisand and Redford as the Hollywood stars they were (although it’s hard not to be). Additionally, I don’t consider myself an expert of cinema or film history. Needless to say, I’ve added some new keywords and phrases to my Google search history to become more familiar with what the heck was going on as I progressed through the book. 

In a nutshell, Hofler recounts the entire film process from concept to completion – casting, filming, editing, and reception. He also adds in significant details about the initial screenwriter/author Arthur Laurents that give insight into the inspiration for the movie and his involvement in the film’s development. For example, the story was based on Laurents’ experiences with political activism in college, which inspired the main character Katie Morosky (played by Streisand). Hofler infers that her male counterpart, Hubbell Gardiner (played by Redford), was inspired by Laurents’ real-life lover Tom Hatcher. 

Nevertheless, it was his personal attachment to The Way We Were storyline that caused Laurents to clash with producer Ray Stark and director Sidney Pollack. The other two men wanted to remove much of the political content and instead focus on the love story featuring the legendary stars. Legendary as they were, Hofler does not hold back on the stars’ behavior and attitudes on set. Redford didn’t want to do the film at all and turned them down multiple times before reluctantly agreeing to do it. Streisand, on the other hand, comes off as an outspoken diva. While drama always makes for interesting “behind the scenes” commentary, Hofler comes off as a judgemental gossip experiencing schadenfreude. 

Even so, I give the author credit for producing a well-researched and comprehensive result. If I was more familiar with the film at the very least, I might have been more receptive to what he was trying to get across. Hence, those who loved The Way We Were and/or film aficionados are likely to appreciate it. 

The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen is available on January 24.