MovieChat Forums > Love Story (1970) Discussion > The Acting!

The Acting!

posted 12 years ago by SnoozeAlarm
18 replies | jump to latest

I've heard so much about this wildly popular movie, from the time it came out.

40+ years later, I finally see a 20-second clip of it, from the famous scene (LMNHTSYS).

The acting ranks among the laughably worst I've ever seen in my life.

OH GOD OH MAN!

I cried because I had no shoes üntil I met a man with no sole. ~ Ancient Disco Proverb

[–] susanemccool 12 years ago

I couldn't agree more!! It was on TV recently, and out of curiosity I looked it up on Wikipedia. I was stunned to find that it had won many prestigious awards, including those for acting. I'm even more surprised - it does "fit" the '70's, so the critics' assessment at the time is *somewhat* understandable - that it has as high a rating as 6.7 on this site.

Even as 'tweens who worshipped pop stars of questionable talent, my friends and I thought that Ali MacGraw's performances was just awful - as was a lot of the writing; specifically, the lame and cheap use of repeated profanity to show how "cool" Jenny was.

And The Line?! We cringed. Many in the audience groaned.

Don't get me wrong! We all wanted to *be* MacGraw/look as much like her as possible! From everything I've read about her, I like her as a person. But in this movie . . .

[–] KristenStewartForever 12 years ago

The acting was amazing. Ali Macgraw was best.

No Day But Today. Today 4 U. One Song Glory.
How we gonna pay last year's RENT?!

[–] mfitzgerald03 12 years ago

Ali McGraw is a very beautiful woman but as an actress? YAWN!!!!!

[–] KristenStewartForever 12 years ago

I find her a wonderful actress!!

No Day But Today. Today 4 U. One Song Glory.
How we gonna pay last year's RENT?!

[–] mfitzgerald03 12 years ago

Hey SnoozeAlarm - LMNHTSYS?

[–] SnoozeAlarm 12 years ago

The tagline of this movie.

Don't sell that cow!

[–] koolstup 11 years ago

Ali's nostrils do all the acting required

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

I love the period mood of LOVE STORY, but the acting is indeed pretty lousy.

Apparently, MacGraw is a nice lady, but she's no Hepburn.

I didn't see anything wrong with "the acting."

What was wrong with it?

If you don't see anything wrong with the maudlin acting in this movie, then your judgment can't be trusted about anything else.

Bad acting is acting that reads as dishonest. And dishonesty may be what you're about anyway.

--

The most profound of sin is tragedy unremembered.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

yea, it's a great movie!

I liked it.

No, we said the acting is bad.

--

The most profound of sin is tragedy unremembered.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

You seem to have no judgment at all.

--

The most profound of sin is tragedy unremembered.

[–] lambiepie-2 10 years ago

The acting ranks among the laughably worst I've ever seen in my life.

Again, lines like this on the internet really make me laugh. Either one has seen only a handful of movies so far "in their life", or has only seen this movie. In either case, there is still a ways to go before claiming it "the worst movie I've ever seen in my life".

I am and was not a fan of this film. Found it cheap, and the main characters annoying, and I am NOT a big soap-opera to movie fan. My mother thought the sun rose and set in it. That's just generations. My mom liked the nighttime soap Peyton Place, so this to me was a film of its era, just like Peyton Place. Sure looking at it now is laughable to some, but it wasn't so bad. It was okay for its generation. I see it no worse than "The Fault in Our Stars" -- same old thing, different generation.

As far as "the worst film..." okay. However I can name more (including the above mentioned FIOS...which I predict in less than 45 years that generation will dislike it too)but please watch more films. Love Story will quickly not make your top 100 Worst Films in My life category; but may just end u where it is in mine.."It wasn't for me".

Don't you know who I used to be?

[–] elrigby65 10 years ago

Agreed ...just saw Goodbye Columbus ,her first film ,and can't believe she was ever offered another film.
Really mechanical.

[–] doughazelrigg 10 years ago

People who can't suffer other peoples negative opinions is what makes me laugh.

I agree this is some of the worst acting in a major movie I've ever seen...and I have a degree in film. So there