User reviews

I have seen this movie many times and it always holds me. Its rhythm, cinematography and casting is perfect and the story never fails to deliver.

Tom Wingo, played by Nolte in an all-time best for him, has to go to New York to help his twin sister, Savannah Wingo, played by Melinda Dillon who has attempted suicide for the umpteenth time. Tom is aware there are ghosts in the family but wants to keep them submerged. However with the love for his sister and the encouragement of her psychiatrist, Lowenstein, played by Streisand, the truth begins to unfold along with a love between Lowenstein and Tom who are both in unhappy marriages.

There are no easy solutions here to the many issues that are raised, suffice is to say that Streisand, who also directs, keeps a gentle hand in and does not wham home any major emotional points. George Carlin is deft in a minor role, as is Blythe Danner as Tom's wife. The film never fails to pack a punch for me.

9 out of 10. Kudos to all, not a false note.

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 !!

Part of my love may come from the fact that The Prince of Tides is my favorite book. I know the film leaves out details from the book, but if the screenplay had included everything, the movie would have been longer than Gone With the Wind! It is a faithful adaptation of a beautiful book. I think it is Streisand's greatest directing achievement.

The acting was superb! Streisand played Susan Lowenstein wonderfully, and I haven't seen a better performance from Nick Nolte playing Tom Wingo. Particularly, he plays the haunted Tom with just that hint of "the boy who never got to grow up" while telling the tales of his childhood. Kate Nelligan eerily wavered between loving and destructive mother, Lila. And Blythe Danner was typically wonderful; she stood out in every scene she was in.

The story goes that when Barbra Streisand, who also directed this film, read Pat Conroy's novel, The Prince of Tides, she could see herself playing the psychiatrist who treats Nick Nolte's sister. So she bought the rights to the book, crafted a script with Conroy's help, and made this film with herself as the psychiatrist. And unlike Isaac Bashevis Singer, who wasn't crazy about Yentl, Conroy loved the result.

It is a smart, well-directed film in which Nolte, not Streisand, is the real star. It's probably his best film performance ever. He was nominated for an Oscar. But Streisand is good too as are all the supporting players, including Streisand's son, Jason Gould, who plays her son in this movie as well.

I've had mixed reactions to Nick Nolte's work over the years. Some of his movies I've quite enjoyed; others I think have been disasters. As far as his performances go, I've usually found him good but never quite reaching the heights of greatness. But then there's "The Prince Of Tides." Barbra Streisand might have produced, directed and co-starred, but this is Nick Nolte's movie from beginning to end, and his performance is absolutely brilliant. He captures his character's complexities perfectly - his repressed emotions, his unwillingness to face conflict or trouble and eventually his underlying pain in a powerful scene in which the family secret is finally revealed. Streisand as director does a good job of building up to that revelation; Streisand as co-star is just that - a good partner for Nolte who's wise enough and confident enough in herself to let him carry the movie.

The story - revolving around Tom Wingo (Nolte) travelling to New York from his beloved southern home to be with his sister who's just attempted suicide - is rather heavy at times. With the sister's suicide attempt and the general dysfunction all the lead characters deal with, it had something of an "Ordinary People" feel to it, although the conclusion is more hopeful than that film was. The viewer is drawn into the story right away with a surprisingly effective opening narration by Nolte that intrigues us, the movie ends on the perfect note of reconciliation within Tom's family and a powerful closing narration by Nolte. Music doesn't usually make or break a movie for me, but kudos to James Newton Howard, who was responsible for the original music. It was absolutely perfect - it suited the movie superbly and was itself very moving. The movie weakens a little bit after the revelation of the secret, mainly because it turns a bit "sappy" as Tom and Lowenstein (Streisand) become romantically involved. You could see that coming from the start, but I found it unnecessary - in fact, the whole angle of Tom's growing relationship with Lowenstein (and her son, and her husband) was perhaps an unnecessary diversion. Still, one can't deny the basic power of the story or the strength of the performances. 9/10

The novel upon which this movie is based, was written by Pat Conroy. If you read the novel first, you'll learn, the film is very close to the literally version, perhaps, too close. The story follows Tom Wingo (Nick Nolte) on the way to the hospital where his sister Savannah, (Melinda Dillon) is a patient, having tried to commit suicide. There, Tom is asked by a Psychiatrist‎ (Barbra Streisand) to help her fathom the reasons why his sister has twice tried to kill herself. During the private sessions which follow, Tom, reluctantly becomes his sister's painful childhood memories. While this helps the doctor understand her patient's background, it also allows Tom to understand why the doctor too, is so unhappy with her marriage. His tragic memories, as well as those of his sister and their family, delves into the very horror of a Southern family troubles, living in a section of a deep river plantation. Every family has secrets which cause intense pain, but when exposed to a listening audience it is chilling to see them exposed Raw and bared to all. The movie is slow to enlighten the listener, but when the movie exposes all, it's patently horrifying and tragic. The cast members which include Blythe Danner, Jeroen Krabbé, Jason Gould and the late George Carlin, make this story all the more real. Easily recommended, but only to the thick skinned. ****

The Prince of Tides is one of Barbra's best, if not the best, drama she has been involved in. Her direction and performance in this film are wonderful, and at points flawed, but not very often.

Nick Nolte's portrayal of Tom Wingo is amazing. The use of his voice-overs adds another level of depth to his character.

Also, George Carlin's performance as Eddie Detreville is, in my opinion, one of the classic "bit" parts of the 90's. Very memorable!

the first time I saw the film was in 1991, in the cinema. Then I have to wait till this year to see it again, with my girlfriend. Tears run across her face at the end of the film. After 8 years I have the same sensation. A fantastic story, with 2 excellent actors. The best movie is the one that can reach your heart, and this one did it to me .

I have seen The Prince of Tides hundreds of times, but I always find that it truly touches me in a different place each time. It is definitely able to provoke tears with each viewing, but it also can amaze because it is so skillfully made. Some of the transitions from flashback to present-day scenes and back prove that Barbra Streisand is indeed a talented filmmaker, even if she gets knocked all the time.

Wow, I have no words to describe how amazing this movie is. Excellent story and performance by the lead actors.

THE PRINCE OF TIDES, in my opinion, is a first-rate adaptation of Pat Conroy's #1 bestseller. When Tom (Nick Nolte) had some flashbacks to his childhood, I got kind of scared and tense. This was because I didn't want to see anyone get hurt. It was really touching to see him and Susan (Barbra Streisand) have their romance. To sum this up, the performances were top grade, the costume design was good, the direction was flawless, and the casting was perfect. Now, in conclusion, if you are a fan of Nick Nolte or Barbra Streisand, or you enjoyed Pat Conroy's title novel, I highly recommend this movie. You're in for a good time, so go to the video store, rent it or buy it, kick back with a friend, and watch it.