Editing Love with the Proper Stranger

{{short description|1963 film by Robert Mulligan}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Love with the Proper Stranger
| image          = Love With The Proper Stranger.jpeg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Robert Mulligan]]
| producer       = [[Alan J. Pakula]]
| writer         = [[Arnold Schulman]]
| starring       = [[Natalie Wood]] <br> [[Steve McQueen]]<br> [[Edie Adams]]<br> [[Herschel Bernardi]]<br>[[Tom Bosley]]
| music          = [[Elmer Bernstein]]
| cinematography = [[Milton R. Krasner]]
| editing        = [[Aaron Stell]]
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1963|12|25}}
| runtime        = 102 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $8.5 million
| gross          = $3.6 million (rentals)<ref>"Big Rental Pictures of 1964". ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''. January 6, 1965. p. 39.</ref>
}}
'''''Love with the Proper Stranger''''' is a 1963 American [[Romance film|romantic]] [[drama]] film made by Pakula-Mulligan Productions and Boardwalk Productions and released by [[Paramount Pictures]].  It was directed by [[Robert Mulligan]] and produced by [[Alan J. Pakula]] from a screenplay by [[Arnold Schulman]].

The film stars [[Natalie Wood]], [[Steve McQueen]], [[Edie Adams]], [[Herschel Bernardi]] and [[Harvey Lembeck]]. The film also marked the screen debut of [[Tom Bosley]] and features a brief, uncredited appearance by the director's younger brother [[Richard Mulligan]], who later became a well-known television actor. The film received five [[Academy Award]] nominations including [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] (for Wood). The film was shot in black and white. The film was not a hit.

The film addresses themes of abortion, norms of conventional marriage and adulthood.

==Plot==
A first generation Italian, Angie Rossini, a salesclerk at [[Macy's]] department store, finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with part-time musician, Rocky Papasano. When she confronts him at a mass audition at [[Carnegie Hall]], he only vaguely remembers her. Her only request is that Rocky help fund and find the name of a doctor who is willing to perform an [[abortion]]. Meanwhile, Angie is being pressured by her working-class older brothers to marry Anthony, an unappealing but successful restaurateur.

Rocky and Angie scrape up enough money for the abortion but are confronted by Angie's brothers, who chase them through the neighborhood. Rocky is able to sneak into a friend's warehouse, where the two discuss life, their mistakes and future prospects. When he and Angie meet the crude abortion provider in a dubious part of the New York City [[Meatpacking District, Manhattan|Meatpacking District]] (who turns out not to be a doctor but a back-room [[abortion]]ist), Rocky refuses to let her go through with the dangerous procedure, much to the relief of Angie, who rests from the trauma in Rocky's ex-girlfriend's apartment. The maturity he shows in doing this brings them closer, and Angie grows to respect him. After meeting her brothers, Rocky (who was given the requisite black eye by the oldest brother) decides to "take his medicine" by agreeing to marry her. Angie, who has more romantic aspirations in life, is insulted by the insinuation of marriage-by-duty and refuses. Angie wants romance, with "bells and banjos".

As an act of independence, Angie moves out of her family home, much to the chagrin of her immigrant mother. She begins dating the restaurateur, Anthony, who offers to marry her (and claim the baby as his own). By acting aloof, she confuses and attracts Rocky back to Macy's, where he inquires about her condition. When Rocky mentions marriage once again, Angie invites him to "just come over for dinner" at her apartment. The dinner is structured as a "date night" with a well-prepared meal and cocktails. Rocky is impressed with her ability as a homemaker, but even more impressed by her well-dressed and sexy appearance. After two stiff drinks, he makes crude advances on her and is rejected yet again. Angie says she does not want to make the same mistake again, citing the "bells and banjos" she expects in her relationships, and that after all the time spent together, she actually "likes him". They quarrel, and the sobbing Angie throws him out of the apartment, slamming the door. The next day, Rocky wins her heart by waiting for her outside the crowded Macy's, holding the sign, "Better Wed Than Dead", ringing bells and playing a banjo.

==Cast==
* [[Natalie Wood]] as Angie Rossini
* [[Steve McQueen]] as Rocky Papasano
* [[Edie Adams]] as Barbie
* [[Herschel Bernardi]] as Dominick Rossini
* [[Harvey Lembeck]] as Julio Rossini
* [[Penny Santon]] as Mama Rossini
* [[Virginia Vincent]] as Anna
* [[Marilyn Chris]] as Gina
''and introducing''
* [[Tom Bosley]] as Anthony Columbo
* [[Richard S. Castellano]] as Extra

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[36th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]<ref name="Oscars1964">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1964 |title=The 36th Academy Awards (1964) Nominees and Winners |access-date=May 4, 2015 |work=oscars.org |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502002917/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1964 |archive-date=May 2, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="NY Times">{{cite web |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/30361/Love-With-the-Proper-Stranger/awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316205000/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/30361/Love-With-the-Proper-Stranger/awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-03-16 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2011 |title=NY Times: Love with the Proper Stranger |accessdate=2008-12-25}}</ref>
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Natalie Wood]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen]]
| [[Arnold Schulman]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction – Black-and-White]]
| [[Hal Pereira]], [[Roland Anderson]], [[Sam Comer]] and [[Grace Gregory]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography – Black-and-White]]
| [[Milton Krasner]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design – Black-and-White]]
| [[Edith Head]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[21st Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/love-proper-stranger |title=Love with the Proper Stranger – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1964}}}}</ref>
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| [[Steve McQueen]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Natalie Wood
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Laurel Awards]]
| colspan="2"| Top Drama
| {{draw|4th Place}}
|-
| Top Female Dramatic Performance
| Natalie Wood
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Mar del Plata International Film Festival]]
| Best Film
| [[Robert Mulligan]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Actress
| Natalie Wood
| {{won}}
|-
| [[16th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|title=Awards Winners|work=wga.org|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|archive-date=2012-12-05|access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref>
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Comedy|Best Written American Comedy]]
| Arnold Schulman
| {{nom}}
|}

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1963]]
*[[1963 in film]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0057263}}
* {{AFI film|20333}}

{{Robert Mulligan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Love With The Proper Stranger}}
[[Category:1963 films]]
[[Category:1963 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American pregnancy films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about abortion in the United States]]
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Mulligan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Elmer Bernstein]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]