The Prince of Tides (1991)

A troubled man talks to his suicidal sister's psychiatrist about their family history and falls in love with her in the process.

Director:

Barbra Streisand

Writers:

Pat Conroy (novel), Pat Conroy (screenplay)

Stars:

Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte, Blythe Danner

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Tom Wingo
Barbra Streisand	...	Susan Lowenstein
Blythe Danner	...	Sally Wingo
Kate Nelligan	...	Lila Wingo Newbury
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Herbert Woodruff
Melinda Dillon	...	Savannah Wingo
George Carlin	...	Eddie Detreville
Jason Gould	...	Bernard Woodruff
Brad Sullivan	...	Henry Wingo
Maggie Collier	...	Lucy Wingo
Lindsay Wray	...	Jennifer Wingo
Brandlyn Whitaker	...	Chandler Wingo
Justen Woods	...	Tom Wingo (age 6)
Bobby Fain	...	Tom Wingo (age 10)
Trey Yearwood	...	Tom Wingo (age 13)

Storyline

The Wingo family is from South Carolina, they growing up in a house on a tidal plain. The oldest offspring, Lucas, largely acted as the protector for his younger twins siblings, Tom and Savannah, in light of their dysfunctional growing up, with their shrimper father, Henry, distant and abusive if/when he did pay them any attention, and their mother, Lila, while not doting on them most concerned about appearances and striving for social standing. Now in middle age, Savannah is a New York based poet, Tom, still living on the South Carolina coast outside of Charleston with his wife Sally and their own three doting daughters, taking a break from his high school teaching/football coaching job, while Lucas has long since died while still standing up for himself and his beliefs. Lila, divorced and now remarried with that wealth and social standing she so long desired, receives news that Savannah is in the hospital following her most recent suicide attempt. Not wanting to face the blame ...

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Plot Keywords:

new york | south carolina | psychiatrist | new york city | haunted by the past | 

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Taglines:

A story about the memories that haunt us, and the truth that sets us free.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of sex-related violence and for strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Redford initially acquired the film rights and was planning to star and direct himself. He had even considered Streisand for the Lowenstein role, but was having trouble getting a satisfactory script together. When Streisand seemed more enthusiastic than he was, Redford relinquished the film rights to her.

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Goofs

When Tom and Susan are at the French restaurant, Tom is fiddling with his drink and between shots his fingers move back and forth between being around the glass and on the stem.

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Quotes

Tom Wingo: [narrating] In New York I learned that I needed to love my mother and father in all their flawed, outrageous humanity, and in families there are no crimes beyond forgiveness. But it is the mystery of life that sustains me now. I look to the north, and I wish again that there were two lives apportioned to every man - and every woman.

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Alternate Versions

Laserdisc version contains an alternate end credits sequence with Barbra Streisand's vocal performance of "Places That Belong To You" (which was replaced in the final film by new end title music by James Newton Howard after Streisand felt that to include the song would bring back the Dr. Lowenstein character and destroy the focal point of the story, which would be the Tom Wingo character). Also, alternate versions of the Tom and Susan affair scenes, and the following deleted scenes (presented in a separate supplementary section at the end of the film):

• Tom remembering his late brother Luke;
• Tom visiting Savannah in the hospital early in the film;
• Tom confronting his father Henry;
• Tom sending flowers to Dr. Lowenstein;
• Lila being ridiculed as "white trash";
• and a love affair montage.

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Connections

Referenced in The Wire: Ebb Tide (2003)

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Soundtracks

Praeludium and Allegro
Written by Fritz Kreisler
Performed by Pinchas Zukerman

User Reviews

Beautiful Film

Streisand directed Prince Of Tides in'91, and was not honored by the Oscars with a nomination for Best Director;. fortunately the Directors Guild and Golden Globes did not ignore her, and the film. Beautifully directed, acted, scored and phtographed, it deserved all the praise it has received. Some fans of the book were disappointed because so much was deleted.. true, maybe should have been or will someday be a mini series... but Streisand and Conroy, caught the heart of the book, the dysfunctional family.. and the problems that emerged in future generations; Nolte was excellent as was Kate Nelligan... see it again and again, Brava Babs !!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Prince of Tides

Filming Locations:

J.E. McTeer Bridge - Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,035,412, 29 December 1991

Gross USA:

$74,787,599

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$74,787,599

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Barwood Films, Longfellow Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1