Love Story (1970)
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A wealthy student and a working-class student fall in love despite their social differences, only to be faced by a tragic medical reality.
The story
Oliver Barrett IV, an upper-class student at Harvard College, meets Jenny Cavilleri, a working-class student at Radcliffe College. Despite their different social backgrounds, the two fall in love while attending a hockey game. As their relationship deepens, they face the challenges of their differing social statuses and the pressures of their respective families. The story follows their journey from the initial spark of romance through the complexities of their courtship and the decisions they must make regarding their future together as they navigate the realities of their lives in the academic environment of the late 1960s.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Oliver Barrett IV, a wealthy student at Harvard, falls in love with Jenny Cavilleri, a working-class student at Radcliffe. They marry despite the disapproval of Oliver's wealthy family. While Oliver pursues a career in law, they struggle to establish their lives together. The narrative takes a tragic turn when Jenny is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Oliver attempts to shield her from the truth, but she eventually discovers her condition. As she nears death, they spend their final days together, and Oliver must confront his father about the truth of Jenny's illness. The film concludes with a poignant final scene at an ice rink, where Oliver reflects on their love with the phrase, 'love means never having to say you're sorry.'
- First release year
- 1970
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Arthur Hiller
- Writers
- Erich Segal · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ali MacGraw · Jenny Cavilleri; Ryan O'Neal · Oliver Barrett IV; John Marley; Ray Milland; Tommy Lee Jones
- Genres
- romantic drama
- Themes
- social class; tragic love; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- romantic; melodramatic; poignant
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; drama; medical tragedy; forbidden love
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel by Erich Segal
- Franchise connections
- Oliver's Story
- Reception
- The film was a major critical and commercial success, becoming a pop culture sensation of the 1970s and re-energizing cinematic melodrama.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 65% · review count: 31 critics
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Actor · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Actress · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's female protagonist's name contributed to the popularity of the name Jennifer in 1970.; It was the first film to receive permission to film at Harvard.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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