This is one of the Kim Novak retrospective films, and I have a newfound appreciation for her.

This one has a story that hasn’t aged so well, although some aspects feel that they haven’t changed so much today. Frederick Marsh is a 56 year-old business man, Jerry, who has been widowed for two years. He is feeling his age, and comes across as someone probably closer to 70 in contemporary times. He lives with his sister, as it seems that single man can’t cope on their own, and is hit upon by every New York widow because he is well off and successful.

He’s a kind hearted man though, which is what leads him to spend some time with his 24-year-old receptionist, Betty (Novak), who is struggling with her own well-being. She opens up to him about her troubled marriage and divorce, making it clear that she is fragile and vulnerable.

So what does he do? This kind man? He hits on her. At first she seems to be quite taken by it, but after a few dates she wants to call it quits as she knows that he feels much more strongly for her than she does for him. In that brutal masculine way of the 50s that was probably seen as dramatic and masterful, he ‘strongly persuades’ her to change her mind. Now it would be called coercion and assault.

The conflict for him is not that she is so much younger, but what other others will think about it, particularly his children who are older than her. We can see that she is taken by his kindness and fatherly love, finally getting something that she has missed out on her whole life.

If this were made today, the ending might have been very different. In the 50s, it was more acceptable that what women really want is someone to protect them and make the decisions for them.

Novak is marvellous though, really lighting up the screen whenever she is on it and doing an excellent job at conveying the both the strength and vulnerability of Betty.