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 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 and 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.

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.

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!

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.