It's Valentine week, so I figured my rendition of the theme from Love Story would be appropriate.
I made this piano arrangement when I was 20 years old and it used to be quite popular when I played it in those long-ago midnight piano bars.
One annoying technical glitch:
I transferred this from an audio cassette to an mp3 file - and it sounds slightly faster than I originally played it. Also, the audio quality is poor.
The 1970 movie Love Story was a huge hit when I was a teen. I remember going to see it with my best friend Mike (years later I was best man at Mike's wedding).
As we entered the theater, people who saw the earlier show were leaving - and many were crying and boo-hooing because the film had such a sad ending.
Ali MacGraw dies at the tender age of 25, leaving her husband Ryan O'Neal an intensely heartbroken widower.
Despite many rave reviews, Love Story had an annoyingly juvenile plot and an abominable script (by Eric Segal).
Judith Crist - one of the few realistic reviewers - called the film "Camille with bullshit".
I was never a fan of Ryan O'Neal. And Ali MacGraw gave such an obnoxious, shrewish, foul-mouthed performance that at the end I was actually rooting for the leukemia to kill her.
In all fairness, when I lived in Hollywood a very reliable source told me that Ali MacGraw was an extremely nice person in real.
Too bad that didn't help her acting career.
The mantra for Love Story is "Love means never having to say you're sorry".
When first heard, this sounds profound.
On closer examination however, I said (to myself, of course) "What exactly the hell does that mean?"
It makes no logical sense.
Anyway, I always liked the music score for Love Story (by Francis Lai) and I'm glad I made this arrangement.
I,too, am glad you made this arrangement since it was the only opportunity I had to hear you play. More, More, she cries. Love Story was so long ago I had forgotten what it was all about.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted that you liked my arrangement of the "Love Story" theme. Thanks, Valerie! I hadn't seen the movie in so long that I almost forgot it - but I did remember that I wasn't very impressed. I'd like to see it again, since I'm curious if my negative opinion would change.
DeleteI remember seeing Love Story when I was young. I was one that left the theater crying. Many years later I watched it again and couldn’t believe it was the same movie. I totally agree with you. It was a piece of cr**. Ali Macgraw was beyond obnoxious. What a difference a “few” years made.
ReplyDeleteNice rendition of the theme song. Also, love probably really means HAVING to say you’re sorry.
I'm laughing at your last line - "Love probably really means HAVING to say you're sorry". That's so true!
DeleteI'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who was irked by Ali's obnoxious performance.
I never liked it, either! I thought she was a shrew and her acting was so poor. I was never a fan of Ryan's acting, either, but she made him look halfways decent--LOL! Never having to say you're sorry??!! I thought it was a stupid thing to say in the first place. If you love someone you don't want to hurt them even by accident...how could you not apologize if you did? Sounded arrogant and pompous to me...even though they tried to make you understand what they meant by it. Her character would never say she was sorry and mean it anyways--LOL! I never understood the hoopla over the movie. I even read the book, thinking it was the bad acting that made it pathetic...nope. Oh, and it didn't make me cry, either. She was so awful in it that I was not the least bit sad when she went, either. LOL! The whole story felt like someone writing about something they had never experienced or been close to. Never felt real. Was some kind of unrealistic fantasy. As you can tell, I am as opinionated about Love Story as you are--LOL!
ReplyDeleteI was really shocked when Ali MacGraw was nominated for a Best Actress Award for her "Love Story" performance. Fortunately she didn't win (I don't recall who did win that year). She was unbearably obnoxious in the film. As you said, she actually made Ryan O'Neal look good!
DeleteI still have the novel "Love Story", but haven't read it in MANY years. Eric Segal wrote the screenplay first. Then Paramount had the "brilliant" idea for him to hastily write a novel based on the screenplay - which was released on Valentine's Day (before the film was released). INCREDIBLY the novel was a best-seller.
I suppose writing a crappy book that becomes a best seller means you never have to say you're sorry.....
DeleteROFL!!! That was priceless!!
DeleteGosh, I'd totally forgotten about Love Story! Blissful amnesia; I can't recall anything about Ms. McGraw's performance … perhaps I was too focused on my popcorn. That, and hating on Ryan O'Neal. Crazy what passed as 'must-see' cinema, no?
ReplyDeleteIn retrospect, it's perplexing to think that Hollywood chose two such unlikable people to star in a "blockbuster" romantic movie.
Delete"Blissful amnesia" indeed.
lovely rendition of the theme from Love Story. perfect for valentines day. i saw the movie but don't remember what it was about. thanks for refreshing my memory.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed my piano rendition - I really appreciate that. It never fails to amaze me how quickly the years slip by. One moment "Love Story" is a hit, and the next it's a nearly-forgotten relic.
DeleteI don't remember too many details of the movie, except for Ali's shoddy performance.
Happy Valentines Day my sweet!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlas, I was never a huge fan of either Ali McGraw or the movie Love Story, but I did enjoy your rendition on the piano. Bravo!!!! I do enjoy the song though.
Now I hope your going to enjoy a little sweet or nice cordial today. And your advice with my neighbor will now find you as the little devil on my shoulder.
There's no doubt that you have a surplus of Valentines - and secret admirers - and I'm certain that your hunky neighbor is one of them.
DeleteFrom one little devil to another -
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
Happy Valentine's Day, Jon. The music is a grand gift.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you survived the storm, Geo and I hope your Valentine's Day was wind-free.
Delete