Review of Up the Sandbox (1972) by Bumdog T — 10 Mar 2009

A fictional exploration of many of the womenâ??s issues which at the time were just beginning to be discussed: Raising Children vs. Pursuing a Career, Asserting Individuality vs. Cooperating in a Marriage. The Joys of Motherhood vs. the Necessity of Abortion, and the husbandâ??s powerful influence over these decisions (an influence, in the case of the abortion, that is played out long before he becomes aware of the issue). It goes into the role that women were playing out at the time, and the debate of what their future role should be. At one point it even veers into the subject of revolutionary terrorism and interracial romance (an element the Streisand says the studio insisted be cut out).

Watching it again I really loved the cinematography, but the movie over all was just ok. The documentary feel of the photography complements the acting in a production that heavily emphasized improvisation, as well as the running theme of the film, which was this married with children womanâ??s fantasy life. As such its one of those films were the parts are greater then the whole.

Although it falls far short of the film it could have been, as a film it is still critically underrated. One of the reasons for this is that Streisand was at the time at the height of her pop icon status. Because she was its star it is considered a failed pop movie, whereas if it had starred Gena Rowlands it would be remember as a well-crafted art film. And if you didnâ??t change a single frame of film made it from France, or inserted John Cassevettes name, instead of Irvin Kershner, they would be writing books on what a work of genius this was.