The Prince of Tides is a 1991 American romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Barbra Streisand and written by Pat Conroy and Becky Johnston, based on Conroy's 1986 novel. Starring Streisand and Nick Nolte, it tells the story of the narrator's struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his dysfunctional childhood in South Carolina. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A television series adaptation was stated to be in development for Apple TV+.
Plot Tom Wingo, a teacher and football coach from South Carolina, is asked by his mother, Lila, to travel to New York City to help his twin sister Savannah's psychiatrist, Susan Lowenstein, after Savannah's latest suicide attempt. Tom hates New York but reluctantly accepts, largely to take the opportunity to be alone and away from a life that does not satisfy him. During his initial meetings with Lowenstein, Tom is reluctant to disclose many details of their dysfunctional family's secrets. In flashbacks, he relates incidents from his childhood to Lowenstein in hopes of discovering how to save Savannah's life. The Wingo parents were an abusive father, Henry, and a manipulative, status-hungry mother, Lila. The father was a shrimp boat operator and, despite being successful, spent his money on frivolous business pursuits, leaving the family in poverty. Tom is also torn by his own problems but hides behind what he calls "the Southern way"—laughing at things instead of crying. For example, his wife Sallie is having an affair, and her lover wants to marry her. Tom and Lowenstein begin to have feelings for each other. After Tom discovers that she is married to Herbert Woodruff, a famous concert violinist, Lowenstein introduces Tom to her son Bernard, who is being groomed to become a musician as well but secretly wants to play football. Tom starts coaching Bernard along with attending sessions with Lowenstein to help his sister. He discovers that Savannah has been in such a dissociated state that she even had a different identity, Renata Halpern. As Halpern, she wrote books to disguise the Savannah side of her troubled life. Tom confronts Lowenstein over not revealing this information before, and they argue. To apologize, she asks him to dinner, and their relationship becomes closer. Tom has a fateful meeting with his mother and stepfather, bringing up painful memories. He reveals to Lowenstein that, when he was 13, three escaped convicts invaded his home and raped him, his mother, and his sister. His older brother, Luke, killed two of the aggressors with a shotgun, while his mother stabbed the third with a kitchen knife. The family cleaned up the blood and buried the bodies beneath the house that night. Their mother made them swear never to mention the incident again. So not even the police were notified. Immediately, Savannah's mental health begins to decline. Discovering that Tom has been coaching Bernard, Herbert orders Bernard to stop his football pursuits and return to his music lessons to prepare to leave for Tanglewood, a prestigious music academy. He then proceeds to invite Tom to a dinner party he and Lowenstein are hosting later that night. While attending the party, Herbert begins ridiculing Tom for being a “Southern coach with a mad sister”, which infuriates Lowenstein. Tom then leaves the party and she goes with him. Tom spends a romantic weekend with Lowenstein at her country house. Savannah recovers and is released from the hospital. This recovery is due to finally learning about things she has repressed from her childhood, most notably the rapes. Her first suicide attempt at age 13 was after the rapes and killings of the three convicts. Tom then receives a call from his wife, who wants him back. He loves both Lowenstein and his wife, and he tells Lowenstein that he doesn't love his wife more, "just longer.” Tom ends his relationship with Lowenstein and reunites with his wife and family but wishes that two lives could be given to each man and woman. After working out the traumatic events in his past with Lowenstein's help, Tom is happy in his renewed life.
Cast Nick Nolte as Tom Wingo Barbra Streisand as Dr. Susan Lowenstein Blythe Danner as Sallie Wingo Kate Nelligan as Lila Wingo Newbury Jeroen Krabbé as Herbert Woodruff Melinda Dillon as Savannah Wingo George Carlin as Eddie Detreville Jason Gould as Bernard Woodruff Brad Sullivan as Henry Wingo
Production Pat Conroy gave Streisand a copy of his novel The Prince of Tides with the inscription: "To Barbra Streisand: The Queen of Tides...you are many things, Barbra, but you're also a great teacher...one of the greatest to come into my life. I honor the great teachers and they live in my work and they dance invisibly in the margins of my prose. You've honored me by taking care of it with such great seriousness and love. Great thanks, and I'll never forget that you gave 'The Prince of Tides' back to me as a gift." Jay Presson Allen was reportedly paid $500,000 to $750,000 to draft a screenplay. Principal photography began in June 1990 in Beaufort, South Carolina. Other locations in the South Carolina Lowcountry included St. Helena Island and Fripp Island. The Prince of Tides wrapped production in New York in September 1990.
Reception
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