FAQ

No. Love Story is based on an original screenplay by American writer Erich Segal. However, Segal novelized the story just prior to the movie's release. The novelization of Love Story (1970) became the top selling work of fiction that year in the United States. A movie sequel Oliver's Story (1978), in which Oliver meets someone new and falls in love again, was released in 1978.

The theme music for Love Story is appropriately named "Love Story". It was written by French composer Francis Lai. In fact, Lai wrote the majority of the music for the movie and won an Academy Award (1971) for Best Music, Original Score for the movie. The film was becoming such a big success in December of 1970, largely due to Lai's beautiful theme song, that American songwriter Carl Sigman put words to the instrumental piece. It was then recorded and released the following month by Shirley Bassey in the UK entitled, "Where Do I Begin?". Andy Williams released a competing version in the U.S. shortly thereafter. Lyrics to "Where Do I Begin?" can be obtained here.

It is Sonnet XXII from "Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861).

''When our two souls stand up erect and strong, Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher, Until the lengthening wings break into fire At either curvëd point,what bitter wrong Can the earth do to us, that we should not long Be here contented? Think! In mounting higher, The angels would press on us and aspire To drop some golden orb of perfect song Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay Rather on earth, Belovëd, where the unfit Contrarious moods of men recoil away And isolate pure spirits, and permit A place to stand and love in for a day, With darkness and the death-hour rounding it. ''

The book of sonnets is in the public domain and can be downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg.

Oliver (Ryan O'Neal) was driving a British MG, T-type, more specifically the TC model produced from 1945 to 1950. Oliver's dad (Ray Milland) drives a British Jaguar, E-type (aka the XK-E), manufactured between 1961 and 1975.

After watching Oliver ice skate, Jenny (Ali MacGraw) asks him to take her to the hospital. The doctor informs Oliver that they have begun therapy for her but that he doesn't know how much time she has left. Oliver asks that she be given the best care possible and arranges to borrow $5,000 from his father. Oliver returns to New York City to find that Jenny has gotten much worse. Her memory is fading, and she's already agreed to have a Catholic service at her funeral. Jenny reminds Oliver that none of this is his fault and that he didn't steal Paris and music from her. She asks him to hold her, and Oliver climbs onto the bed with her. When he finally comes out of her room, Jenny is dead. Phil (John Marley) and Oliver hold hands, trying to be strong for each other. As Oliver leaves the hospital, he runs into his father entering it, having just driven from Boston. When Oliver Sr learns that Jenny is dead, he apologizes, and Oliver Jr replies, "Love is never having to say you're sorry." In the final scene, Oliver walks down the street and cuts through Central Park. He sits on the bleachers and sorrowfully looks at the skating rink as the camera pulls away.

While the exact disease is not mentioned by name in the movie, there are clues that Jenny was suffering from leukemia. For example, the disease is discovered by a blood test taken to see why Jenny was not able to conceive a child. Following that, the doctor refers her to a hematologist (doctor specializing in diseases of the blood). Part of her treatment includes receiving white cells and platelets, and the doctor mentions that Jenny is refusing anti-metabolites, drugs that are commonly given in leukemia to slow cell destruction. The diagnosis of leukemia was confirmed in the movie novelization (chapter 17) and again in the sequel, Oliver's Story.

Love Story is frequently compared to other movies that feature a great (and sometimes unusual) love story in which one of the partners dies tragically. Examples include A Walk to Remember (2002), A Man and a Woman (1966), Titanic (1997), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Out of Africa (1985), Tristan + Isolde (2006), Dark Victory (1939), Cold Mountain (2003), Forrest Gump (1994), Harold and Maude (1971), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and The Phantom of the Opera (2004). Tissue anyone?