F-0139

Title:

Love Story

Category:

S

Produced:

1970

Country:

USA

Released:

Dec 1970 (film, USA); Dec 1992 (VHS); Dec 1998 (CD soundtrack); Apr 2001 (DVD)

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writer:

Erich Segal (written by)

Actors:

Ali MacGraw (Jennifer Cavalleri); Ryan O'Neal (Oliver Barrett IV); John Marley (Phil Cavalleri); Ray Milland (Oliver Barrett III); Russell Nype (Dean Thompson); Katharine Balfour (Mrs. Barrett - as Katherine Balfour); Sydney Walker (Dr. Shapely); Robert Modica (Dr. Addison); Walker Daniels (Ray Stratton); Tommy Lee Jones (Hank Simpson - as Tom Lee Jones); John Merensky (Steve); Andrew Duncan (Reverend Blauvelt); Charlotte Ford (Clerk, Mount Sinai Hospital); Sudie Bond - as Sudi Bond); Julie Garfield

Description:

Harvard Law student/hockey jock (Oliver Barrett IV) meets Radcliffe music wonk (Jennifer Cavalleri), and the couple soon enter into a relationship. When the couple decide to get married, Oliver's father (Oliver Barrett III) threatens to disinherit him from the family will, leaving Oliver and Jennifer to start their marriage at rock-bottom. Jennifer and her dad (Phil Cavalleri) do what they can to bring father and son back together, but the two prefer to remain at war with one another. Years go by, and the young couple attempt to have children, only to discover that she is malfunctioning. (Patrick Lonergan)

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, Amazon.com)

Language:

English | German, English, French, Italian, Spanish (DVD-PAL)

Bach's Music:

Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 3 in D major, BWV 1054

Film Company:

Love Story Company

Format:

Color film | CD (Soundtrack) | DVD (Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC) | DVD (PAL) | VHS (Color, NTSC) | VHS (PAL)

VHS/DVD Label:

MGM (CD) | Paramount (DVD)

TT:

99 min (film); 100 min (VHS, DVD)

Comments:

Watch selections:

Buy movie at:

Amazon.com [DVD] | Amazon.com [DVD] | Preview Amazon.com (VHS) | Amazon.com [VHS] | Amazon.com [CD]

Source/Links: IMDB
Contributor: Aryeh Oron (November 2007)