Love With the Proper Stranger

I Love everything, great movie, great actor, nostalgia. For me it brings back memories of watching movies with family

Start with a bleak premise, but lay out a strong script, set it in a believable and realistic setting, cast it with stars and superb supporting players, and you get a ripping good, old time black and white drama, one with both humor and tears.For me, this is one of Natalie Wood's three best movies, and she is absolutely perfect and delicious as the young Italian girl, still living at home with her predictably expressive and sometimes zany family, who makes one bad choice and ends up, uh, in a family way.Remember at this point that the year is 1963, and this is more complex than the same situation today.Steve McQueen is perfect as a mild mannered, struggling jazz musician endlessly trying to pick up gigs to pay the rent. Wood is a department store clerk at Macy's, who seems to be selling either pets or sporting goods. Or maybe all of the above.Anyway, upon realizing her situation, Wood sets out to find McQueen, which she does at the musicians' union hall, and he does not recall her or their experience. As foxy as she is, this is hard to believe, but go with it.When he realizes who she is, he decides to stick with her and the two of them decide to figure it out. This is another good time to realize that this is New York in 1963, not 2022.Besides the marvelous pacing and cinematography, kudos go to the supporting cast, particularly Augusta Ciolli as the Italian mama, and Herschel Bernardi, who is drop dead perfect as the older and over protective big brother. Edie Adams, as McQueen's partner of convenience, is crusty and fun, particularly when he, having come to grips with his situation, asks her to help him find a doctor.This is just plain good movie making, with perfect performances, a believable story, a gritty setting, and just right pacing and direction.

I fondly remembered this film from decades ago, so I was happy to find it available on DVD at last. A somewhat grittier, working-class romance from the early 1960s, it finds amiable but unfettered jazz musician Rocky (Steve McQueen) being confronted by a one-night stand, Angie (Natalie Wood, a Macy's sales girl. She's pregnant as a result—but she's not looking for marriage, simply the money for an illegal abortion. He feels that he owes her that much, so he agrees to help her, even to accompanying her to the appointment he sets up.As we follow the couple through that day, meeting their respective Italian families & discovering more about their personalities, we get to know them in the context of their surroundings & upbringing. Angie is smothered by her loving family, especially her overly protective oldest brother; Rocky is on his own, charming but guarded, still not quite grown up, drifting through life from gig to gig. And as we get to know them, they get to know each other.The supporting cast is excellent, with standout performances by Herschel Bernardi as Angie's oldest brother, and Edie Adams as exotic dancer Barbara from Saville, who's what today might be called a friend with benefits for Rocky, someone he runs to for comfort. She cares for him, but she's smart enough to see him for what he is, too. And the B&W footage of New York City is a character in its own right, a time capsule of that moment.So why not 5 stars, instead of 4.5?The first 2/3 of the film is almost neo-realistic, warmed with touches of humor, but cold & horrific in its depiction of the illegal abortionist. It's in the final 3rd that the film turns into more of a standard romantic comedy—still enjoyable, due to the star power of McQueen & Wood, but obviously heading towards a typical Hollywood happy ending. And there's nothing wrong with that when it's well done … but it's a somewhat jarring shift of tone here. As with its characters, it's still got one foot in the 1950s, with the other tentatively stepping into the 1960s. It's strong enough overall, even so, but I wonder what it might have been like had the neo-realistic tone been carried through to the end.Also, the commentary track, while always informative & interesting, suffers a little from being overly academic & veering off on lengthy digressions. I get the feeling that the two film scholars wanted to fit in as much theory & in-depth analysis as possible; unfortunately, it's often at the expense of giving wanted information about the supporting actors & specific scenes. Again, it's quite informative & interesting to be sure—but it really should have been a secondary commentary track.Still, a solid film, one worth repeated viewings—recommended!

I bought this as I'd been unable to find a copy anywhere else. I was able to change it to English dialogue and get rid of the Spanish subtitles easily enough, but the picture quality is very poor and the music is distorted at the beginning. It has obviously been copied from an old VHS tape.To be honest, if I hadn't read the synopsis I wouldn't have had much idea what was going on, as the film started when Rocky (Steve McQueen) was told about the baby, and he clearly didn't remember his encounter with Angie (Natalie Wood). It felt as if the film should have started earlier in the story. Having said that, I was pleased to get hold of even a ropy copy of the film.

This is a good film, and with the people involved it's hard to believe this film has not received proper treatment on dvd/blu-ray.So thank you Acid Vibes for providing us with a copy of this film.Picture quality is of the VHS type. Sound is Good. 4:3 ratio picture.The film will initially play in spanish with subtitles. To play in English with No subtitles as intended - Highlight - 'Idiomas' on themain screen. then highlight under Audio - 'Ingles'. Then highlight - 'Sin Subtitulos' - then highlight 'Ver Pelicula'.Yes it's not the DVD quality were use to. But until Paramount get there act together it's better than nothing.

Still a good but not great film. However this dvd is taken from TV and is not much better than others from the US, which are also dvd made from home VHS tapes and take from an american tv presentation. On this one the audio is better but the picture is fuzzy and indistinct. It remains the case that this movie is buried in Parmount's vaults somewhere and has never been released in proper DVD form. Internet gossip suggests it is the subject matter of abortion, it remains a mystery as it has two major stars, a well known director and music by Elmer Bernstein.

Tense film about moral quality and consequences that brings out best in 60's fare

Forgot how good this film is. Disappointed a print quality but OK, CONSIDERING IT APPEARS TO BE A SPANISH PRODUCT; until I tried to play it a third time - it would not allow it to be played in english