Robert Hofler (Money, Murder, and Dominick Dunne; Sexplosion) skillfully reconstructs the making of the 1973 classic romantic drama The Way We Were and, though he unearths every bit of juicy gossip and turmoil on the set, The Way They Were never reads as mean-spirited. The problem with this film production was almost every creative position was filled with strong-willed individuals, and none of them could agree with each other. Wildly successful producer Ray Stark was constantly at odds with director Sydney Pollack, and Barbra Streisand loved Arthur Laurents's original screenplay but knew he was a prickly collaborator. And on the sidelines was Robert Redford, who didn't like Stark or his character in the screenplay and feared being overpowered by Streisand.
Streisand and Redford (both interviewed for this book) exuded chemistry, but their working styles were polar opposites. "Barbra likes lengthy rehearsals and multiple takes," said Pollack. "Redford is better in his early takes. After that he just gets bored." Redford also refused to say the line "It'll be better this time" prior to the film's second sex scene because, according to Hofler, "Redford was never bad in bed. So how could Hubbell be?" Hofler also reveals Redford wore two athletic supporters during that initial sex scene, because he'd heard Streisand often had romantic relationships with her leading men and wanted to protect himself.
Hofler also deftly explores how Laurents used his own volatile but loving relationship with Tom Hatcher, his life partner, as a basis for the two main characters in the film. Film buffs will love this deliciously dishy look at the creation of a classic tear-jerker. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant