Simply A Masterpiece

Great Film overall

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, so I know first-hand what movies were like back then. The subject matter for this movie and how it is treated were definitely pushing the envelope of what the studios would allow, and what audiences were ready to see at that time. Often, however, films that are daring can't quite get beyond the self-congratulatory "look at us and how daring we are being" and actually take us somewhere we haven't been before or tell an original story.The overall structure of the movie is fine, but it fails on two main points. First, at no time are we given any reason to see why the two characters are attracted to each other. While they are both gorgeous people to look at, and both well-versed in the 1950s morality that says you should do "the right thing," there is no quality, no dialog, and little action that would make one character attracted to the other. It is true that Steve McQueen's character does some amazingly kind and considerate things, but I cannot think of one thing Natalie Woods' character does that would make anyone attracted to her as a person. He rescues her, helps her, tries to understand her, defends her, and gets in a fight for her, but she never does one thing to help him, elevate him, intrigue him, or motivate him. Other than her amazing looks, we are given no reason why McQueen would fall in love with this perfect stranger.The second and bigger failing is the direction. The screenwriter provides very sparse dialog, and most scenes find the actors posing, glancing, leaning, sitting, standing, moving, and generally fidgeting their way through scenes, as if random motion is going to convey some inner feelings. This is obviously entirely the work of the director. Emotions seem to turn on and off with almost every cut, and at times it is impossible to tell what the heck is going on.This random motion turns to random Emotion in the final scene of the movie, something I guess I should have expected, but something which does not logically follow anything that comes before it, especially the immediately preceding scenes.I have seldom seen a movie with a more thoroughly botched ending.And finally, while others see chemistry between McQueen and Woods, I saw absolutely nothing. To me, chemistry is what we saw many years later between McQueen and Faye Dunaway in the original "Thomas Crown Affair." That was pure electricity. By contrast, this is barely a spark.

Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen are at the pinnacle of their acting talent in this b-w gem from the early 1960's. Two very different people - Rocky Papasano and Angie Rossini - re-unite after a one night stand that results in a pregnancy. How they resolve this crisis is the story of this movie. Along the way, there is drama and a lot of fun. Much of the movie was shot on location in New York City's Lower East Side. There is one particularly gripping scene involving a back-alley abortionist that stands out in this film. The two young people come from Italian immigrant families who provide great entertainment as a backdrop to the love story.In the course of the movie, Angie, who was under the thumb of her domineering family, came into her own and took on a new-found confidence. Rocky's support and love helped her bloom into a wonderful and mature young woman. There were two hysterical dinner scenes, breaking the tense atmosphere of this dramatic coming of age film. Tom Bosley, in his pre-TV days, is the man considered by the family as an acceptable husband for Angie. He is very funny as the good-natured clutz trying to woo her. Other than that, the two great stars,who both died too young,have left their fans with a great love story.

This starts out being an extraordinary drama, and ends up being an excellent romantic comedy. Both are done well, although "Love with the Proper Stranger" might have been better off sticking to the dramatics. Natalie Wood (as Angie Rossini) and Steve McQueen (as Rocky Papasano) are an infectious team. As the film opens Ms. Wood is tracking Mr. McQueen down, to ask for help in obtaining an abortion. McQueen seems to have forgotten the dalliance with Wood (blame it on the scotch).Watch for a brief moment when McQueen looks Wood up and down, in their first on-screen scene; this is, perhaps, when McQueen recalls her, and the point at which he begins to "fall in love" with her character (as the sexual attraction had already reached culmination). McQueen's realization is long and confused; but, Wood visibly "falls in love" with McQueen while watching him interact with his parents. In this case, disposing with the initial sexual attraction has made the characters' "romance" more interesting. This is difficult to play so convincingly; and, the lead performances, along with the direction of Robert Mulligan, are award-worthy.The dramatic highlight will be obvious; the comic highlight is the scene with Wood having dinner with Tom Bosley (as Anthony Columbo)'s family. This scene works so well because it both parallels and contrasts Wood's earlier meeting with McQueen's family (when she fell in love with him). Mr. Bosley heads up a strong supporting cast. Arnold Schulman's script, and the Milton R. Krasner photography, are also outstanding. The unworthy last act is disappointing, but not damning.********* Love with the Proper Stranger (12/25/63) Robert Mulligan ~ Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen, Tom Bosley, Edie Adams

Underneath this desperately wanna-be social comedy about the wrong choices of early 60's casual sexual relationships, is a could-have-been brilliant static family drama about abortion, societal expectations & norms, and personal independence vs. family obligations. Unfortunately, every time Robert Mulligan's film heads correctly (the abortion sequence, Angela's brother's interference, the Colombo family dinner, Barbie's apartment, etc) in the direction of possible groundbreaking, uncharted drama it afterward veers OFF-COURSE into endless Natalie Wood histrionics! Less Natalie, more McQueen would have been a smart move. Especially, regarding his musical occupation and the background of how their sexual tryst landed them where they are when the story begins. The disappointing ending is SAPPY beyond words! Although, the entire film benefits from the New York location filming, but it's not terrific... regardless of Sally Field's recent selection of this film for presentation on TCM.com.