The Way We Were - Hubbell, Katie, and a whole lotta yearning...

Okay, so I just finished watching "The Way We Were" for like, the millionth time. Barbra Streisand, man, she just *gets* to me in this movie. That whole Katie Morosky character – so passionate, so… intense. Hubbell Gardiner, played by friggin' dreamy Robert Redford, is just the opposite, right? Coasting through life on charm and good looks. Which, let's be honest, would probably work for me, too, haha. But seriously, does ANYONE else get completely gutted by the ending? I mean, they see each other years later, after everything's gone down, and there's this unspoken understanding... that nothing can ever be what it *could* have been. It's brutal! Is it that Katie was just too much for him? Was Hubbell just too... comfortable? Or was it just that life throws you curveballs and sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, different paths are just... different paths? And that scene where she's handing out leaflets outside the Plaza, and he sees her... Ugh. My heart BREAKS. Was Hubbell a sellout? Or just pragmatic? I can't decide if I'm supposed to hate him or pity him. What do you guys think? Am I missing something? This movie messes with my head every single time. Also, side note: anyone know who directed this? I was too busy crying to pay attention to the opening credits. LOL