Love Story
by Arthur Hiller
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DVD details
Actor: Ali MacGraw, John Marley, Ray Milland, Russell Nype, Ryan O'NealDirector: Arthur Hiller
Brand: Paramount
Cinematographer: Richard C. Kratina
Editor: Robert C. Jones
Producer: David Golden
Producer: Howard G. Minsky
Writer: Erich Segal
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Running Time: 99 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-04-24
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Reviews of Love Story
DVD Review: What Does Constitute an Apology?
Summary: 3 Stars
This film is sad.
This film is arrogant.
This film is simple.
This film is edited poorly.
This film means never having to say you're sorry.
These are just a few random thoughts conjured up while recently watching the 1970s blockbuster hit, "Love Story". It is the summer of blockbusters, and while $10 or more is a bit like paying for gas at the local Cineplex, this critic decided to watch old blockbusters in the comfort of his cool, quiet, and subdued home. Having read the book many years ago, I was eager to see how exactly it would translate onto the bigger screen. There was little action, little conflict, and even a smaller plot - it was, simply put, a "love story". Two Ivy-leaguers meet, they argue with their parents, they marry, and suddenly tragedy strikes. It is simple, like love - and it does translate well onto the screen with our two leads being Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw. Together their chemistry is shattering, bring to life a small piece of Americana, and the depth of life. As Jennifer and Oliver pour their literal hearts out on screen, the issues of "Love Story", while not many, do break free and run rampant throughout. The lacking development, the clutter of language, the electric music, and the cheapened edits all culminate as utter distracts to this film. These errors pull from the story, creating a mediocre tale that could have been the greatest love story ever sold.
Let me begin by saying that as much criticism as I give "Love Story", it still (and probably will with another viewing) brought a tear to my eye. It is ultimately a story about the power of love, and even if you can see through the cliché language, parts of this film will remind you of a love you have or once had. It has sentimental value that presses on the right heartstrings at the right time. We can thank, and denounce at the same time, writer Erich Segal for this. His story takes us to love, but his words violently pull us away. Throughout this film, one cannot help but wonder if O'Neal and MacGraw read their lines off cue-cards behind them, or if the words coming from their mouths were to be staples of cliché for decades of romantic films to follow. In one corner we have a witty, independent woman who is not afraid to speak her mind, in the other corner, we have a guy who takes direction well - OK - I get that, but what else is there about these characters that we could learn about. If this is to be a talking film, let the words they speak to each other express their emotion stronger - or at least develop a subplot around them that allows the viewer to see all the dimensions of both Oliver and Jennifer. I knew their connections, but I finished this film without really knowing them. From the book, one could hear their inner-voice, without that in the film, we were lead on a one-sided voyage through love without any potholes or pitfalls. Each and every time a conflict occurred, simple words were spoken, we were taken to a new city, and we began our story all over again. With conflict comes resolution, and one cannot resolve with just one phrase - "Love means not having to say your sorry".
Clarification. The simplicity of this story is what kept me glued to the screen the entire hour and a half. The acting force behind O'Neal and MacGraw was consistent throughout, providing me with excited moments, emotional moments, and a heavy cardboard aftertaste. While their characters were enjoyable to watch, they lacked the depth needed to really pull further at my heartstrings. I knew what sort of characters they were, but they needed to take one more step to fully make me believe they were who they were pretending to be. Earlier I used the word arrogant when describing this film through free association. I use this word because I believe writer Segal and director Hiller knew what they had for audiences by the end of their film, they knew that if they kept these two one-dimensional characters together long enough; they would have the audiences coming back by the third act. To me, this ploy seemed arrogant of them. Give us more, give us characters, give us at least impressive scenery - but instead we were handed one phrase and tears. Not enough.
Not complaining, but the music could have benefited from either a dedicated theme song or a better composer, the strum of the piano chords never quite hit that level of emotion I needed to bawl my eyes out. The music was potent at first, but by the second act, it felt stale of overplayed. It wasn't the theme music of Oliver and Jennifer's love that could have further strengthened their relationship. Coupled with elaborately bad edits, our film stands solely on the doorstep of the actors. They are good, not quite great, but worth viewing merely for those small moments of joy where you feel like you are watching a film, not being a sinister voyeur on their lives. "Love Story" is a sad love story, alas, it needed something more - a stronger element that would have shown Oliver's hatred for his father, his dedication to his life, and his ability to discover love anywhere in life. One needed a few more chapters of the book translated to the screen to make these characters full bodied enough to bring that climactic ending to a stand still. Instead, Hiller's direction just made it feel like an opus of clichés.
Overall, "Love Story" was worth the singular view, but repeat viewings will not be needed. The choice of casting Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw was superb, these were two people that could carry the weight of this world on their shoulders, but Hiller never gave it to them. There was never that "oh yea" moment in the film, where we suddenly realized who these two were, and why they were together ... mind, body, and spirit. Not thinking about the dreadful "A Walk to Remember", this film could benefit from a facelift. Build the two characters stronger together, introduce more problems for the two to solve, really illustrate the confusion between Oliver and his father, and I think you would have yet another blockbuster on your hands. This is a rich film, executed poorly, but the groundlings are there. "Love Story" felt like a cold flat soda - it still quenches your thirst on a hot day, but it just misses that punch. Worth at least one viewing for that romantic settling down in all of us.
Grade: *** ½ out of *****
Description of Love Story
Love means never having to say you're sorry... Love Story. Everyone loves Love Story! One of the most romantic movies ever made also remains one of the most enduringly popular. This heartfelt 1970 tale of the love of a lifetime-the most successful Paramount movie up to that time-received seven Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and won one for Francis Lai's magnificent score. As filming was underway on Love Story, the filmmakers knew they had something special-so special that Erich Segal was simultaneously shaping his best-selling novel from his own screenplay. Stars Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw each received Academy Award. nominations and became overnight movie sensations for their poignant portrayals of a young couple who cross social barriers, marry and ultimately face the greatest crisis of all.Strife-torn America wanted a meat-and-potatoes romance in the late '60s, and the country embraced Erich Segal's slim, generic-sounding novel in a big way. It did so again for the film adaptation in 1970, starring Ryan O'Neal as a law student who defies his rich and powerful father (Ray Milland) on every issue, including the former's love for a music student (Ali MacGraw). The two marry, start life together...and then the Grim Reaper turns up at the door. Directed by Arthur Hiller (The In-Laws), the film ends up lacking the kind of stylistic boost that might have made it a must-see for the ages. But its faithfulness to the book's uncomplicated and, yes, moving intentions is pretty solid. O'Neal is convincing as a nice guy who's as bullheaded in his own way as his steely father (a nice job by Milland), and MacGraw has a way of getting under one's skin. A viewer just has to try not laughing at the refrain, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." --Tom Keogh
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