Love Story (1970)

A boy and a girl from different backgrounds fall in love regardless of their upbringing - and then tragedy strikes.

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writer:

Erich Segal

Stars:

Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal, John Marley

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ali MacGraw	...	Jenny
Ryan O'Neal	...	Oliver
John Marley	...	Phil
Ray Milland	...	Oliver Barrett III
Russell Nype	...	Dean Thompson
Katharine Balfour	...	Mrs. Barrett (as Katherine Balfour)
Sydney Walker	...	Dr. Shapeley
Robert Modica	...	Dr. Addison
Walker Daniels	...	Ray - Oliver's Roommate
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Hank - Oliver's Roommate (as Tom Lee Jones)
John Merensky	...	Steve - Oliver's Roommate
Andrew Duncan	...	Rev. Blauvelt
Charlotte Ford	...	Clerk
Sudie Bond	...	(as Sudi Bond)
Julie Garfield	...	Bystander at Harpsichord Concerto

Storyline

The love story of young adults Oliver Barrett IV and Jenny Cavilleri is told. Oliver comes from an extremely well off and old money New England family, the Barrett name which holds much gravitas and which is plastered especially all over Harvard where Oliver is in pre-law. Like those before him, he plans on attending Harvard Law School, which is not an issue in either the school not accepting him or he not wanting to attend. He has an extremely stiff relationship with his parents, especially his father, Oliver Barrett III, who loves his son in the old school way. Jenny, a music student at Radcliffe, comes from a working class Rhode Island background, she working her way through the program before she plans on going to Paris to further her studies. Unlike Oliver's relationship with his father, Jenny has a very casual one with her baker father, who she calls by his given name Phil. When Oliver and Jenny meet, there are immediate fireworks - she always with a quick quip to put him in his...

---

Plot Keywords:

tragedy | death | ice hockey | 1970s | harvard university | 

---

Taglines:

Love means never having to say you're sorry

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and a love scene

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Love Story

Filming Locations:

Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,200,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$106,400,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$136,400,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Love Story Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first television showing of this film, on ABC in 1972, marked the shortest time span (up to then) between a film's theatrical release and first showing on television.

---

Goofs

During the Cornell/Harvard hockey match, before Oliver enters the penalty box, his hockey jersey is almost spotless. After he sits down and takes off his helmet, a large blood smear appears on his jersey near his shoulder.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Oliver Barrett IV: What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach, the Beatles, and me?

---

Crazy Credits

Unusually, for a movie released in the early 1970s, there were no opening credits after the title has been shown.

---

Connections

Spoofed in American Tickler (1977)

---

Soundtracks

Silent Night
(uncredited)
Written by Franz Xaver Gruber (uncredited) and Joseph Mohr
Performed by the The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

User Reviews

A beautiful and emotional romance

'Love Story' is not your typical romance film, although it is a story about a boy and girl from different backgrounds who fall in love. Jenny is an intellectual music major with a passion to travel, and Oliver's parents are well-to-do, and he enjoys sports. It seems like an unlikely match, but the two of them hit it off and travel through the perils of relationships. It is a touching story, and the direction and coordination of some of the scenes is amazing. (Particularly the scene with Oliver sitting outside in the playing field and narrating the story is a classic moment in this film, and it is possibly one of the most memorable scenes in film history.) If you have never seen this film, you should. Anyone who has ever been in a relationship can relate to it, but if you are a sensitive person and cry in nearly every film you have ever been to, keep a full box of tissues handy.