Why did it work when so many other sobby movies don't? This is all hindsight of course. It had a memorable music score, came along when death was on the mind I guess (Vietnam, all that), used two very pretty stars, Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw, Ali had a new look (haircut, glasses), it was visually different (Harvard, snow), had some different things (frolicing in snow, ice skating), was about the generation gap, has some pre marital sex and glimpses of nudity (bare shoulders) and a few four letter words... these help it age.
It's extremely well done. The dialogue has genuine zip.
We don't find out Ali is terminally ill until something like 70 minutes in. That's very late in the day. But it packs a wallop because by then we care about them. Up until then they have believable clashes - he's rich, she's poor, she loves her dad, he fights with his, his dad cuts him off because of her, they struggle for money, she gives up her dreams to support him.
The final scene between them in bed is terrific. Ryan O'Neal is a great reactor, as Bob Evans said. MacGraw is very beautiful and effective. The lush music works. Arthur Hiller's direction was spot on - he kept the pace up, but knew when to slow down.
This movies are not easy to do. Nastily criticised by critics embarassed by emotion.
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