Directed by Robert Mulligan and produced by Alan J. Pakula from a screenplay by Arnold Schulman, Love With the Proper Stranger features Natalie Wood, and Steve McQueen, just before he became a major star.
Grade: B
The film, nicely shot in black and white, addresses “taboo” themes at the time, such as abortion, and norms of conventional marriage.
Wood, then at the prime of her career, plays a first generation Italian-American, Angie Rossini, a salesclerk at Macy’s department store who gets pregnant after a one-night stand with part-time musician, Rocky Papasano (McQueen).
When she confronts Rocky at a musician union hiring hall, her only request is that Rocky help fund and find the name of a doctor willing to perform an abortion.
Meanwhile, Angie is being pressured by her working-class older brothers to marry Anthony, an unappealing but successful restaurateur.
Rocky and Angie scrape up enough money for abortion, but they are confronted by Angie’s threatening brothers. Rocky sneaks into his father’s upholstery workshop, where they discuss their mistakes and future prospects.
In the movie’s climatic scene, Rocky and Angie meet a crude abortion provider in a deserted part of the New York Meatpacking District (who turns out not to be a doctor but a back-room abortionist). Rocky refuses to let her go through the dangerous procedure. Relieved, Angie rests from the trauma in Rocky’s ex-girlfriend’s apartment.
His maturity brings them closer, and Angie grows to respect him. After meeting her brothers, Rocky (given the requisite black eye by the oldest brother) decides to “take his medicine” by agreeing to marry her.
Angie, who bears more romantic aspirations, is insulted by the insinuation of marriage-by-duty. Defiant, Angie wants a big romance with “bells and banjos”.
Angie moves out of her family home, much to the chagrin of her immigrant mother. She begins dating a restaurateur, Anthony, who offers to marry her (and pretend that the baby as his own).
When Rocky mentions marriage once again, Angie invites him to “just come over for dinner” at her apartment.
Rocky is impressed with her ability as a homemaker, and her sexy appearance. After two stiff drinks, he makes crude advances and is rejected yet again. Angie does not want to make the same mistake again, citing the “bells and banjos” she expects in her relationships.
In a quarrel, the sobbing Angie throws him out of the apartment. But the next day, Rocky wins her heart by waiting for her outside Macy’s, holding a comic protest sign, “Better Wed Than Dead,” ringing bells and playing a banjo.
The film was based on original idea of Arnold Schulman, who could not sell it and wrote the script on spec. His agent Abe Lastfogel attached Natalie Wood and sold the script to Paramount. Warren Beatty, then living with Natalie Wood, was offered the lead but turned it down. Then Pakula and Mulligan agreed to make the film with Steve McQueen even though he was not established as a star yet.
The film also marked the screen debut of Tom Bosley and features a brief uncredited cameo by the director’s younger brother Richard Mulligan, who later became a famous TV actor.
Oscar Context:
The film received five Oscar nominations, including Best Actress (for Natalie Wood).
Cast
Natalie Wood as Angie Rossini
Steve McQueen as Rocky Papasano
Edie Adams as Barbie
Herschel Bernardi as Dominick Rossini
Harvey Lembeck as Julio Rossini
Penny Santon as Mama Rossini
Virginia Vincent as Anna
Marilyn Chris as Gina
Tom Bosley as Anthony Columbo
Richard S. Castellano as Extra
