The Prince of Tides (1991)
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A man travels to New York City to help his sister's psychiatrist, only to confront the devastating secrets of his own dysfunctional past.
The story
Tom Wingo, a teacher and football coach from South Carolina, is asked by his mother to travel to New York City to help his twin sister Savannah's psychiatrist, Susan Lowenstein, following Savannah's latest suicide attempt. Although Tom dislikes the city, he reluctantly accepts the trip to seek solitude from a life that fails to satisfy him. During his sessions with Lowenstein, Tom is hesitant to share the secrets of his dysfunctional family. However, he begins to recount childhood incidents to her in an effort to find a way to save his sister's life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Tom Wingo travels to New York City to help his sister Savannah, who is being treated by psychiatrist Susan Lowenstein. As Tom shares memories of their abusive parents and a traumatic incident involving escaped convicts, he and Lowenstein develop a romantic connection. Tom also begins coaching Lowenstein's son, Bernard, who wants to play football despite his father's musical demands. Tom eventually reveals a horrific secret: when he was 13, three convicts raped him, his mother, and his sister, an event his mother forced the family to keep secret. This revelation helps Savannah recover from her repressed trauma. Despite his growing love for Lowenstein, Tom ultimately chooses to reunite with his wife, finding peace after working through his past. The film concludes with Tom happy in his renewed life.
- First release year
- 1991
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Barbra Streisand
- Writers
- Pat Conroy · screenplay; Becky Johnston · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Barbra Streisand · Dr. Susan Lowenstein; Nick Nolte · Tom Wingo; Blythe Danner · Sallie Wingo; Kate Nelligan · Lila Wingo Newbury; Jeroen Krabbé · Herbert Woodruff; Melinda Dillon · Savannah Wingo; George Carlin · Eddie Detreville; Jason Gould · Bernard Woodruff
- Genres
- romantic drama
- Themes
- dysfunctional family; trauma; repressed memories; romance
- Tone and mood
- serious; emotional; soulful
- Premise and plot tags
- psychotherapy; childhood trauma; Southern drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Pat Conroy's 1986 novel
- Content notes
- rape; child sexual abuse
- Reception
- The film was a critical and box office success, praised for its emotional depth and performances, though some noted it was unevenly scripted.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 69% · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Nominated
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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