The Affair (1973 TV Movie) User Reviews (12)

Boring Boring Boring

[mrcaw12 · 5/10 · 29 November 2009]

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.

Beneath Natalie's talent

[jjnxn-1 · 5/10 · 16 May 2013]

Ordinary TV movie that would be forgotten entirely if not for the costarring of the lead pair who had just reunited years after the end of their first storybook marriage. The film is assuredly beneath Natalie but right in Wagner's ballpark, she did it so they could work together and his feature film career was over. He offers a surface performance, she a good one although she may look the worst on screen that she ever has. Expecting during production, the baby-a daughter was named Courtney after her character, she looks bloated with a very unflattering hairdo. Still her movie star charisma shines though making this gruel better than it would have been.

Complete waste of time

[raymond-15 · 5/10 · 14 June 2006]

It's difficult to know who to blame for this dreary presentation. Even the best actors are disadvantaged with a poor script and I have to say that the script has to share some of the blame for this uninteresting piece of entertainment. A few times voices are raised in heated argument but on the whole the dialogue drifts along slowly and hesitantly as each character timidly explores the possibility of an affair. Natalie Wood as Courtney does well enough as the polio victim but her scenes with Marcus (Robert Wagner)were dull and vague and I felt little sympathy for either of the characters. It is true that Courtney confined herself to her own little world and was afraid to step outside of it and let some sparks fly. Some tighter direction might have helped too with Courtney delivering a greater feeling of her frustration. For me the projection of the feelings of the characters was missing. There was little drama to speak of.

So don't waste your time on this one. There are plenty of good dramas around

Help is not forthcoming for Natalie in torpid film

[rsoonsa · 3/10 · 24 April 2001]

Natalie Wood portrays Courtney Patterson, a polio disabled songwriter who attempts to avoid being victimized as a result of involvement in her first love affair, with her partner being attorney Marcus Simon, played tepidly by Wood's real-life husband, Robert Wagner. The film is cut heavily, but the majority of the remaining scenes shows a very weak hand from the director who permits Wagner to consistently somnambulate, laying waste to a solid and nuanced performance from Wood, who also proffers a fine soprano. The script is somewhat trite but the persistent nature of Wagner's dramatic shortcoming is unfortunately in place throughout, as he is given a free hand to impose his desultory stare at Wood, which must be discouraging to an actress. The progression of their relationship is erratically presented and this, coupled with choppy editing, leads the viewer to be less than assured as to what is transpiring, motivation being almost completely ignored in the writing. Although largely undistinguished, the cinematography shines during one brief scene when Wood is placed in a patio and, following the sound of a closing door, remains at the center while the camera's eye steadily pulls away demonstrating her helplessness and frailty. More controlled direction would have allowed the performers, even the limp Wagner, to scale their acting along the lines of an engaging relationship; as it was released, there is, for the most part, an immense lack of commitment.

This movie really sucked.

[Natasha_Dean · 2/10 · 20 July 2018]

I was very excited for this film. Being an ardent admirer of Natalie Wood and Loving seeing her paired with her husband I expected this to be a sweepingly romantic and wonderful movie. I was absolutely wrong. The movie began beautifully and Immediately after the romance and bliss started, the whole thing shot itself in the head and died.

It's the story of Courtney, (played by Natalie) a 32 year old musician and polio survivor who has never been loved, never given herself to anyone, meets a man called Marcus (played by Robert Wagner) who changes all of that for her. They fall in love, she loses her virginity to him and they become serious. He is divorced and has two boys around the ages of 8 and 9. The boys loathe her for absolutely no reason. And constantly refer to her as "she" as tho she were a dog or a cat that no one wanted. After a few months Marcus's Ex wife remarries and he is so broken by this that he tells Courtney that he "can't handle it anymore", (he never says what it is) and leaves her. The next day she drives up to her brother's home, sees his brother's girlfriend is very happy and very pregnant, becomes upset by this, has a nervous breakdown and breaks a glass in her hand; cutting herself to bits and almost bleeding to death. She ends up in the hospital. The movie ends with her moving in with her brother and never finding love again.

Basically the movie teaches that if you're over 30 and never had love that there is no hope of you being happy, and even if you do find love you won't be able to keep it; because anyone over 30 is damaged goods and undesirable for long term or happy relationships. Very stupid storyline. If you were hoping for a sweepingly romantic film that makes you feel light and fluffy at the end? Don't watch this movie. Instead of being all laughter and happiness after watching this film, You'll come away feeling like a deflated balloon. Don't waste your time or money.

A strange little movie.

[geoffrthomson · 5/10 · 22 August 2018]

I was drawn to watch this being a fan of Natalie Wood. It left me bemused. It sort of makes sense. Initially she gives him the cold shoulder each time he appears, and yet he pursues her...go figure?! They make each other (or maybe just me) uncomfortable and conversation never flows freely between them, and yet the script has them falling in love! She's happy in her own company while he's more social...this could be their main issue. He can't handle this and so dumps her. Not the most gripping film I've seen!

Great Natalie Wood performance

[enjoyce2 · 7/10 · 21 February 2021]

I think this is a very sensitive performance by Natalie Wood. She had any great roles but this one showed a depth of character not seen in her larger studio films. I enjoyed it very much and encourage those sho have doubts to watch it through to the end.

When you Knock on Wood, Pray Nobody's Home!

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 11 July 2014]

You have to give Natalie Wood credit for trying a different type of role in this poorly written T.V. movie where the hero and heroine have such sudden change of moods, you'd think that somebody would have come up with the term "Bi-Polar" long before it entered the English language. Ms. Wood, so self-aware of her short-comings as an actress, was noted for showing up to accept her award for winning "Worst Actress of the Year" for several films during the 1960's, and yet kept trying to improve her method, sometimes with, yet usually without, success.

In the case of "The Affair", she plays a handicapped woman, both physically and mentally, who attempts without success to keep herself from falling in love with her father's handsome business associate (real-life husband Robert Wagner). When she first meets him, she goes out of her way to ridicule him, but no sooner has she let out her first insult than she's involved in a hot and heavy affair with him. But when he gets serious, she wants to take a step back, and when she starts to get serious, he's ready to bail. This makes their relationship quite confusing, something sad to say also became a part of their off-screen marriage.

Natalie makes herself look a lot less glamorous than normal, wearing an unbecoming hairstyle and less make-up. At first, it is even hard to recognize her. The chemistry between Wagner and Wood is mixed, much like most of the Taylor/Burton pairings which go to prove that off-screen relationships don't always have the best on-screen magic. The best performance comes from Bruce Davison as Wood's free-spirited brother. Fans of "Days of Our Lives" will be delighted to spot matriarch Alice Horton (Frances Reid) in a bit part as Wood's mother.

Waste of time and talent

[xredgarnetx · 3/10 · 22 January 2007]

THE AFFAIR is a very bad TV movie from the 1970s starring the then-husband-wife team of Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood as hesitant lovers. She has polio and leads a reclusive existence as a pop song writer. He's an ambitious lawyer who is very outgoing and absolutely smitten with her. Their affair, such as it is, is doomed from the start, and she knows it, but goes along with it anyway. Two things to watch for if you are trapped into watching this: Wood's Jane Fonda hairdo that is never mussed, no matter what, and a tune she sings early in this dreadful flick. She sings it for four or five or six minutes, so you know it's classic padding between commercials. It also is one of the worst songs ever written, and the woman doing Wood's singing voice should have been shot and put out of her misery. Also, keep an eye out for all the peasant tops and dresses. By comparison, Wagner looks relatively timeless, with close-cropped hair and sporting a series of classic suits.

Okay, I am crazy OBSESSED with this film...

[elysergooser · 8/10 · 11 December 2006]

Not because it is a great movie by any means even by TV movie standards...but because of the deep and abiding affection I have for the Courtney Patterson character as portrayed by the luminous Wood. Like the former commenter I was INCENCENSED by the way Marcus Simon as portrayed by empty suit (okay, he wasn't that bad) Bobby Wagner pursued this emotionally fragile woman (despite an outward bravado) took her virginity and then when she FINALLY gave herself to a man fully and fell in love for the first time he decides that she is not worth the trouble because of her difficulty dealing with his shallow friends and tells her "I cannot handle it, Court!" and then rather coldly dumps her like she is a piece of garbage...

She then tries to kill herself (or was it an accident with a broken glass???) and finally her hippie brother consoles her by saying, "Well,it looks like you finally got yourself loved!!!" and then they walk out into the sunset and the movie ends...(As a polio victim she had to walk on crutches, very poignant)

Well, I enjoyed the sappy song Nat sang that foreshadowed the rest of the movie and I am a fool for the whole seventies TV movie vibe but mostly the reason to see this flick is for the performance of Natalie Wood who brings dignity and defiance to the character of Courtney and we get the feeling by the end of the movie that the real emotional cripple is the RJ character who uses this great lady and gets out of the relationship when the going gets rough...

I bought this public domain movie at 6.99 at Circuit City several years ago but it is available for free on Google video..it is very blurry and faded but hey, free is free...

Oh, P.S. Nat was pregnant during the filming with her second daughter who she named Courtney ...:)

oh, and Frances (DOOL) Reid plays Nat's mom and she sang a song (" This is your Lucky Day")in the scne where the Patterson family is enjoying Christmas

Natalie Wood & Robert Wagner Were Magic !

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 20 January 2004]

Over the years I missed this TV Film and was completely surprised by the great performance of Natalie Wood,(Courtney Patterson),"Meteor",'79, a cripple who was taken advantage of by Robert Wagner (Marcus Simon),"El Padrino,'03. Marcus Simon fell madly in love with Courtney and drove Courtney crazy until she finally paid attention to him and went to bed with him. Marcus should never have started a romance with Courtney, because he was only going to Break Her Heart. The acting between Marcus & Courtney was fantastic and at times made you very angry at Marcus for having started this entire "AFFAIR". Bruce Davison,(Jamie Patterson), Courtney's brother tells her, "At least someone loved you in this world" and it was good you got to see what the REAL WORLD IS ALL ABOUT" ! Natlie Wood & Robert Wagner were married for the second time during this film and they were really a match made in Heaven! Natlie is greatly missed!

"The man is frozen."

[clanciai · 8/10 · 2 December 2022]

These are the first words of Natalie Wood concerning Robert Wagner as a visiting lawyer at her father's house, who later on will make himself her first lover. Of course it is utterly irresponsible to engage in a love affair with a polio cripple, but she has no experience and falls for him, which leads to consequences. Too late he realizes his own mistake and just leaves her, which of course is the worst thing he could do. Natalie Wood's performance is as sensitive and endearing as ever, while you must hate Robert Wagner for his wooden dullness and shortness of character. Natalie Wood deserved a better husband, they tried to divorce, but just like that other fatal marriage between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, they just had to do it again, and as everyone knows, that marriage ended by Natalie Wood's accidental death. We have never learned the entire truth about it from Robert Wagner, her death remains an unfinished affair, but as you see them together in a love affair like in this film, he certainly is not good for her. She plays a composer who writes and sings her own songs, and the great song she is performing in the beginning she actually sings herself, perfectly in tune and in perfect pitch - some regard this film as her swan song, and as such, it is perhaps a final emblem of a tragically precious actress.