While it was a treat to see a rare Natalie Wood flick and one costarring her husband Robert Wagner, unfortunately it was a big dud.
First of all, it's like the director told the actors to wait 5 seconds before responding, so the pauses are interminable.
Second of all, Natalie Wood's character makes no sense whatsoever.
I can understand her character being a bit shy because of her polio, yet on the other hand, her character is written as someone who is well off, and has a famous career as a song writer. So it's not like she's been in a shell, shay we say all her life.
So yes, while I can understand her Polio being a difficulty starting a relationship with Wagner, it doesn't really explain why she's so reluctant to share Wagner's life.
Example, Wagner takes her to a social event at a school because Wagner's best friend is married with kids. So Wood stands there amidst all the parents and is a total bitch basically. When a woman innocently comes up and introduces herself as a mother of a 4th grader let's say, Wood rudely says she's not a parent but tennis instructor, while standing with her arm crutches of course. Then Wood whines to Wagner and asks what she's doing there and he says naturally enough that she's there because HE invited her. Wood acts like he's committed some unfeeling act. IT's really stupid. Wagner's character is rightly put off.
Later, when Wagner get an invitation in the mail, Wood declines to go before she even knows what the invitation is to! Wagner explains it's a wedding invite yet Wood still refuses to go.
Later on in the movie, when Wood, obviously trying to appease Wagner suggest she invites some friends over. Wagner simply says what friends? I don't blame the guy. She's shut herself off from his life then wonders why he can't handle her.
Wagner's character at the end tells her that they've locked everyone out of their world and that he can't breathe. Who could blame him? Then of course, Wood's character begs for him not to leave.
It's a stupid movie that I couldn't finish, but damn if it wasn't great seeing Wood & Wagner together.
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