The Prince of Tides (1991)

I personally really like Barbra Streisand, and I think that this is a very good movie, even if not particularly for her own presence. The story is touchy and involving. The screenplay is well written and never exaggerated or out of track. Even the final cliché of the two main characters falling in love with each other is pretty well portrayed. Probably because it doesn't just happen during the final-five-minute-scene, but is developed enough to make it believable and not ridiculous. The soundtrack, by James Newton Howard, is lovely and really fulfills and underlines the whole movie. Technically, the finest work is done by the cinematography, which is warm and wrapping. The entire cast is good, especially Nick Nolte, who is very believable and delivers a great performance. Barbra Streisand is great behind the camera but only good in front of it. Playing the role of a rich, sophisticated, and independent woman she is kind of playing herself. Indeed, she is at her best when she doesn't have to deliver any line. Unarguably, because her charming presence by itself is enough to fill up the entire screen. She was probably too busy worrying about the way she looked than anything else. This probably wouldn't have happened if someone else were directing her. But then again, in that case we probably wouldn't have enjoyed her sweet and profound point of view.

Fmovies: I have to admit that although I'm a great great fan of Barbra Streisand (having seen all her films) I unfortunately hadn't before this month the chance to watch this particular film.

First of all there's always the problem what one wants; to read the book or watch the film but since I then didn't own the book I had to see the film and indeed it made a huge impression on my. The cinematography and casting is superb and now after having read the book I realize that although a lot is left out in the film it wouldn't have been possible to include all the details of the book in the film.

Although it's a typical "Hollywood" film it has a deep sense of beaty and tragedy and I do believe that the film includes the most essential parts of the book in its own right. Of course we don't for instance hear a bit about the great grandmother and her life, nor her biblical husbond and certain parts of the book are changed in the film.

However it's a film that makes sense; tragedy, love and the southern way mixed in a very particular way and that especially is what, from my point of view, makes the film great. It's not just a funny or boring one, it really has something to tell all of us.

I do also feel that it shows the southern way of life in a very true manner although it can be strange compared to other places in the US we really here get to see what the southern parts of US is all about.

Barbra Streisand also in this film, as in all other ones where she appaears, is great; that lady really has talent and she knows it! Being a fabolous singer and a fabolus actress at the same time is quite somethng so again...bravo Barbra you're one of the absolutely best actresses.

The movie should have focused solely on the psychological make-up of the Nick Nolte character, Tom, or of his mother. Instead we gets tons of the usual New Yorker vs. Southerner dialogue, a silly romance between Nick and Barbra which serves no purpose, a pointless interaction of Tom with Lowenstein's son. The childhood events of Tom and his family were so intense that the secondary plots were fluff. On top of that, the "yelling" school of acting was sometimes employed. When you can't think of any good dialogue, simple have the actor rant and rave loudly way out of proportion to the issue discussed. Exactly what made Tom lose and gain back interest in his loving family was really important but not really explained.

The Prince of Tides fmovies. It is next to impossible to turn a 800 page novel into a consumable movie without losing some of what made the novel brilliant in the first place (which this one is). The novel is about growing up in South Carolina and about the love of three siblings for each other. The novel takes its name from what the sister calls one of the brothers: The Prince Of Tides. But, Luke Wingo, the title character is seldom seen in this mediocre adaptation. Ms. Streisand decided to make it a love story about her character and Lukes brother Tom. She missed the entire point, and screwed up a good story that would have better been left as a mini-series because of its length and depth. (She needs to watch LONESOME DOVE or ROOTS or CENNTENIAL to see that you can make masterpeices on tv, especially if you have a huge text to work from).

However, Nolte is perfectly cast, and plays the part of a downtrodden southern everyman very well. The few childhood flashback scenes that they do film are done very well. Too bad Babs didn't realize this was the meat of the novel. Oh well, at least she didn't sing.

I'm afraid Streisand's overblown ego defeats this film. Taking what is essentially over-ripe Tennessee William's material, this may have had possibilities. But Streisand's character (and especially the director's fawning to her character (no surprise, since she directed it) makes this an ego journey of immense proportions. I don't know how Nolte survived this and how he crafted such a magnificent performance. I don't know how he managed to mutter the film's last lines ("Lowenstein, Lowenstein.") without breaking into laughter. (My guess...liquor and multiple takes.) Streisand as a performer needed someone to fetter her (she can give good performances when restrained.) Streisand the director needed to keep from falling in love with Lowenstein. (She did very well with the opening...except the titles and cast lists interfered with the story.) At the end, the only impression left is an unsubtle argument for Streisand's greatness. An argument that fails to persuade.

Barbra Streisand's visual presentation of Pat Conroy's novel is excellent! I never expected a film under her direction to be this great and very expressive. Nick Nolte's acting is excellent and I can't think of any actor who can play his role as Tom. For those of you who never seen this film, The Prince of Tides is a drama that tackles family, time and emotions. The film is indeed a great imitation of life!