Watch Love with the Proper Stranger For Free

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Robert Mulligan and Alan J. Pakula's first collaboration after the huge success of "To Kill a Mockingbird", this is a very good character drama about love, life and the way that they interrelate - or don't. The film is described as a comedy drama but I thought that it was more of a drama with a few elements of comedy, which did not mesh terribly well with the rest of the storyline. In the first hour, the very strong, insightful script by Arnold Schulman treats the occasionally slightly depressing material with a great deal of respect and sensitivity and there is not a false moment. However, in the last 30 minutes or so, the comedic elements come to the fore and it gave me a bit of a jolt as it is rather different from what has come before. The ending does not really ring true when compared to the first hour. In any event, Mulligan's direction is superb but that is hardly a surprise since he was a master when it came to sensitive character dramas.The film stars Natalie Wood in a phenomenal and wonderfully natural performance as Angela Rossini, a Macy's pet shop employee in her early 20s who comes from a strict Italian-American Catholic family in New York City. She is pregnant as a result of a one night stand with a musician named Rocky Papasano, who does not even remember her at first. The night was clearly much more memorable for Angela than him, particularly since he is hinted to be a bit of lothario who mooches off women whereas she has led a very sheltered life. She dreams of a movie star - maybe Robert Wagner? - on a big horse falling madly in love with her and Rocky does not exactly fit the bill. As such, all she wants is money to pay for a backroom abortion. Another complication in Angie's life is that she feels suffocated by her insensitive, loudmouth elder brother Dominick, played very effectively by Herschel Bernardi, who insists on trying to set her up with the nice but uninteresting cook Anthony Columbo, played by Tom Bosley in his film debut. Although she is a grown woman, Dominick seeks to control Angie's life and ignores her frequent demands that he stop interfering in it.Steve McQueen was perhaps not the most obvious choice to play Rocky but he is very good as the irresponsible and initially not very likable expectant father. He and Wood are a great fit. After he learns that Angie is pregnant, Rocky tells his girlfriend Barbie Margolis, played by a sublime Edie Adams, that a friend of his needs to know the name of a doctor who will perform an abortion. However, Barbie did not come down in the last shower and sees through his very transparent lie immediately. She then kicks him out of her apartment and he must resume his life as an itinerant musician. The best scene in the film is the very long one which involves Rocky and Angie hiding from her brothers in his parents' upholstery workshop. It is revealed that Angie lost her virginity to him that night and she found it to be a disappointing, uncomfortable and confusing experience. It was not what she expected from the movies. For his part, he tells her that he has no intention of being tied down and compares being married to being the Prisoner of Zenda. The characters develop an interesting connection in this scene. It is beautifully acted by Wood, who was deservedly nominated for Best Actress, and contains the best acting that I have ever seen from McQueen.The backroom abortion is to take place in a dank little hovel and be conducted by a woman with no medical training but Angie cannot go through with it. This was the right decision as I imagine that the risk of infection would have been high under the circumstances. It is a very tense, upsetting moment which has a terrible effect on both Angie and Rocky. When Rocky explains the situation to Dominick, he receives a black eye for his trouble but they agree that it would be for the best if he married Angie. He offers to do so but Angie is justifiably insulted when he refers to marrying her as taking his medicine. She has no desire to marry a man who will resent her and whom she will come to resent and certainly does not want to raise a child in that environment. The last part of the film is the weakest as the scene in which Angie invites Rocky over to dinner at her new one person apartment almost feels as if it belongs in a different film as the humour quotient is turned up considerably. The scene is certainly well acted by Wood and McQueen but it is too big a change from the earlier parts of the film. At the end of the film, Rocky convinces Angie that his feelings for her are genuine and they embrace outside Macy's in front of dozens of onlookers. I do like the ending but I would have loved a more realistic one which would have matched the tone of the first hour. Quite frankly, I had no idea how the film was going to end as I watched it and I was preparing myself for a sad ending or maybe even a downright depressing one. The happy ending is nice but it feels like one from a movie and, as such, conflicts with Angie's earlier statement that life is not like one.Overall, this is an extremely enjoyable film but a more consistent tone would have it made in an absolutely brilliant one. Much of the credit has to go to Natalie Wood for making the film as successful as it is.

Perhaps some viewers will be enticed by the prospect of Natalie Wood playing opposite Steve McQueen, but here McQueen plays a bit of a boob, thoroughly confused by the opposite sex. The dialogue is full of New York's idea of comedy - "Whaddya want me to do about it?" "You wanna go? Go! Ya got no reason to stay here - fuggetaboutit!" The movie meanders about in trying to find a way for McQueen to actually start caring about what happens to Wood, and we get a little tired of the slow pace in him coming to his senses. Perhaps some will find this to be 'dramatic tension', but I didn't, and I found the end of the movie to be unfulfilling, even trite.

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

changes horses in midstream from a drama to a kind of farce...but that's not a complaint, both aspects are well-done and the change is not jarring. Mulligan's direction is simple and honest and uncluttered by gimmicks. Some observations: The young men in the film all speak with a characteristic "dees, dems and dose" style Italian-American Brooklynese, and the older generation all speak with stereotypical 1st generation Italian accents. However, Angie's accent is almost non-existent. Certainly not like Marisa Tomei's in My Cousin Vinny. Had she had a thicker accent, I think her character would have been less sympathetic...funny how those accents cause one to categorize people. And consequently, Angie comes off like the most intelligent person in the film.Another minor annoyance: if Rocky and Angie had their one-night stand in the summer (as he mentions), and the action takes place sometime in the fall (they are shivering with the cold while waiting outside in one scene)...it seems inconsistent that she would still have an itty-bitty waist (emphasized by the black dress and apron) at the end of the movie, considering she must be at least 3-4 months pregnant. I do love this movie, and I watch it whenever I see it playing.