LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY.
Wealthy Harvard law student Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O’Neal) falls in love with a working-class girl (Ali MacGraw), but their romance faces resistance from Oliver’s parents. One of the biggest hits of the 1970s received seven Oscar nominations, which is a bit much for a movie where the script is that ripe with clichés. They turn into an obstacle as the film grows more emotional in the second half… but as a simple love story it has its moments. Arthur Hiller cleverly navigates through the sentimentality and makes great use of wintry locations, Francis Lai’s melancholic score and the leads’ star-making performances.
1970-U.S. 99 min. Color. Directed by Arthur Hiller. Screenplay, Novel: Erich Segal. Music: Francis Lai. Cast: Ali MacGraw (Jenny Cavalleri), Ryan O’Neal (Oliver Barrett IV), Ray Milland (Oliver Barrett III), John Marley, Katherine Balfour, Russell Nype… Tommy Lee Jones.
Trivia: Jones’s film debut. Michael Douglas, Jon Voight and Peter Fonda were allegedly considered for O’Neal’s part. Followed by Oliver’s Story (1978).
Oscar: Best Original Score. Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture (Drama), Director, Actress (MacGraw), Screenplay, Original Score.
