The Prince of Tides

The Prince of Tides is a 1991 romantic drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Pat Conroy the film stars Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte. It tells the story of the narrators struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his dysfunctional childhood in South Carolina. Streisand directed and produced the film in addition to starring in it. Conroy and Becky Johnston adapted the screenplay.

Tom Wingo Nick Nolte, a teacher and football coach from South Carolina, is asked by his mother, Lila, to travel to New York to help his twin sisters psychiatrist, Susan Lowenstein Barbra Streisand, after his sister Savannahs Melinda Dillon latest suicide attempt. Tom hates New York and reluctantly accepts, but 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 familys secrets. In flashbacks, Tom relates incidents from his childhood to Lowenstein in hopes of discovering how to save Savannahs life. The Wingo parents were an abusive father and an overly proud, statushungry mother. The father was a shrimp boat operator and, despite being successful at that profession, spent all of his money on frivolous business pursuits, leaving the family in poverty.Tom is also torn with his own problems, but hides behind what he calls the Southern way i.e., laughing about everything. For example, his wife Sallie is having an affair and her lover wants to marry her. Tom and Lowenstein begin having 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 Jason Gould, who is being groomed to become a musician as well but who secretly wants to play football. Tom starts coaching Bernard along with attending sessions with Lowenstein to help his sister. Tom 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, during which she throws a dictionary at him. To apologize, she asks him to dinner and their relationship becomes closer. ........

Source: Wikipedia