What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died. Review on Love Story -Hollywood Movie

Love Story – An all-time Classic

INTRODUCTION

Having seen and written a review about “Khwahish” (https://mouthshut.com/readreview/40083-1.html) , the hinglicized version of this movie, I had to recover from the shock/pain/suffering I had to go through. So, I landed at blockbuster’s to rent out the original classic by Erich Segal/Arthur Hiller. Oh Boy! It made my day.

To tell you briefly about this movie, you will remember the famous quotes from this movie/book (actually the book became a runaway success after its releases while the movie was filmed to completion).

Love means never having to say you're sorry

''What can you say about a 25 year-old-girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart, Bach, the Beatles, and me”

This, along with the intriguing enigma surrounding this movie, a really once in a lifetime musical performance by Composer Francis Lai (He incidentally won an oscar for this); An excellent acting by most of the cast; A screen debut by an ever graceful Tommy Lee Jones; A great love story film at a time of war (It was released in 1970 when America was fighting Vietnam); The true mushy masala where even a kid can deduct the end, but at the same time would love to see the entire movie; all this and much more summarizes this movie.

THE PLOT

For the benefit of those who have never read/seen the movie/book, I am enclosing the same in the next few words.

This movie is about a “spoiled and sniveling” rich guy Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O’Neal), who has “rebelliousness against authority for the sack of it” against his wildly successful dad (Oliver Barrett III played beautifully by Ray Milland) going to Harvard as a family tradition. There he falls heads-over-heals with arrogant, intelligent and poor Radclife music student Jennifer Cavilerri (Ali Macgraw). Before they know, they are into a serious relationship. He rebels against his dad’s treatment towards them. Wins the heart of ever-cheerful Phil Cavilieri(Jenny’s Dad) and marries her. Struggles to get a scholarship to finish his Harvard Law Degree. Gets a good job in Manhattan. Plans to raise a family. Finds Jenny is terminally ill. Goes to his dad finally for help. Sees that Jenny can’t be saved. His dad arrives at the scene of death. Mingles with dad. That’s it.

Well, this plot seems seemingly banal, trite and highly predictable to many. Haven’t we seen enough to just shy away from watching this movie? Almost every Indian movie has some masala or sentiment enriched in certain way to imbibe a part of what this movie has to offer. Isn’t it? Then why should we watch? Well. Let me try in the subsequent sections.

TECHNICAL INFO

Directed by

Arthur Hiller

Writing credits

Erich Segal

Actors

Ali MacGraw ....      Jenny Cavalleri

Ryan O'Neal ....      Oliver Barrett IV

John Marley ....      Phil Cavalleri

Ray Milland ....      Oliver Barrett III

Original Music by

Francis Lai (In an Oscar winning performance)

Cinematography by

Richard C. Kratina

Film Editing by

Robert C. Jones

MY ANALYSIS

This movie is about love and losing someone you love. For any human being losing anyone is profoundly difficult. It is highly difficult to produce a consoling feeling in ourselves, no matter how long we are with someone or how many years we had a relationship. We always feel that there is not enough time. We also feel that we never started to realize each one’s potential and the possibilities of reaching more closer.

Erich Segal, so masterfully wove this tragedic phenomenon into the characters of Ollie & Jenny. Arthur Hiller’s masterful direction along with great music by Francis Lai has made it a masterpiece, albeit having some so-so performances by few.

While one can conceive the death of Jenny to be very tragic, the way movie starts and ends (Ollie near a bereft in a bench with snow falling), the dialogues where Jenny Says “I don’t want you to be sick” to Ollie, The struggles ollie goes through and the movies happy moments tells both Ollie and through him, us that life must go on, no matter what. That’s where both the director(Hiller) and writer(Segal) have scored tremendously with the help of a haunting music. This is what this movie all about. Not many movies imbibe such a feeling in us. This is where Love Story stands apart from contemporaries.

While there are many minor flaws in the movie such as a scene where we are supposed to be feeling sorry for Oliver to get his scholarship while he is traveling in an expensive car around Boston. Etc which are highly bearable (Given our capacity to patiently watch crap and be forbearing all the time. :- ) ), this movie is highly watchable.

The way the movie ends is also a masterpiece. If you have loved “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, “12 Angry Men” etc etc as a classic examples of some masterpiece cinema, you will love watching this, although this movie is 33 years old.

Khalil Gibran once said ''Love knows not its own depth, until the hour of separation”. Love Story is all about it.

SOME MASTERFUL DIALOGUES

BOTTOMLINE

“Love Story” is a cinematic masterpiece, for generations to come. While it may seem out of context for many, it is about a universal concept that causes some stir in many peoples lives. Love is something very prevalent in every one’s lives such as a parent’s love to kids or a sibling’s care to a sibling and so on. This is why this concept is something everyone cherishes. Love Story got nominated for seven Oscars and won one for music in a year dominated by war laden “Patton by Franklin J. Schaffner”. Had it been released in another year, it would have won a truly deserving oscar for Arthur Hiller and Erich Segal.

A Must watch. Don’t miss it for any reason.

I Hope you liked this review. Chip in your comments

Kalil

If thou must love me, let it be for nought

• Browning, Elizabeth Barrett