The Unmanliness of Hubbell in The Way We Were

The Way We Were

I can’t stand The Way We Were, the 1973 movie starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.

Barbra Streisand: Fantastic. Robert Redford: Fantastic. The music: Fantastic.

The ending…What?

I’m not mad that the two didn’t end up together. It was realistic and poignant and all of those nice things.

I’m concerned about little Rachel, their child. So Hubbell wanted nothing to do with his child?

The final scene

In the final scene, Hubbell (Redford) asks Katie (Streisand) if she’s “still married." Evidently, he has nothing to do with his child.

Katie wants Hubbell to come visit and he says, “I can’t come Katie.” Hubbell asks how Rachel is and Katie tells him he’d be “proud” of her, to which he responds, “I’m glad.” Hubbell asks, “Is he a good father?” and Katie says, “Yes, very.” Hubbell says, “Good.” Then they part ways.

Hubbell’s got problems!

Maybe little Rachel was better off without him, from what I saw…

Was that the norm for divorces in their time period? Total estrangement? The characters divorced in the 1950s. 

Whatever the case may be, I’m sure we can all agree that Hubbell not knowing Rachel, would have been Hubbell’s loss—in any time period.

"Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127:3 NRSVCE

Still thinking of movies

I need a palate cleanser after Hubbell. I’ll reach further back in time for it…

I'd trade Hubbell for Rhett Butler from 1939’s Gone with the Wind.

I’d trade Hubbell. Plus ten million dollars. For Rhett Butler.

Rhett doted on his daughter, Bonnie Blue. He bought her a horse. He took her to London with him. It’s a cliché, but he loved her more than life itself! It was Bonnie Blue that kept him with Scarlett, Bonnie’s mother.

What tragic irony that Hubbell chose to not even meet his daughter, whereas Rhett was forced to bury his.

Looking upward

I have a special Christmas ornament. It’s a figurine of Rhett Butler holding his beloved Bonnie Blue.

I haven’t seen any ornaments of Hubbell.

But I can step back and look at the whole Christmas tree, and remember the Nativity of Jesus, the Son who points us to Our Heavenly Father.

Who waits with open arms for all of us: obviously-broken and less-broken alike.

"But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him..." Luke 15:20 NRSVCE

Another reflection on fatherly love: The Love of the Father—Shown Through My Cats