Wow! Such a good movie.

Disturbing yet enthralling

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

What on the surface may be construed as a typical 1960's romantic comedy is a great film with real weight. First off, as Natalie Wood's character has to stand up to her annoying brothers, who are over-protective and try to coerce her into a relationship with a nice guy played by Tom Bosley of all people (Mr. Cunningham from 'Happy Days'), it has a strong feminist message. Secondly, the film asks questions about the biggest things in life – is there such a thing as romantic love, or does lust obscure everything? And should one just settle in marriage, because, as a minor character so wisely puts it at a dinner party, "love is really an art, and like every other art, it demands practice and patience, consistent dedication and hard work."Lastly, and this is the biggest thing, the film shows what it meant to try to get an abortion before it was legal. You see, very early on in the film, Natalie Wood has told Steve McQueen that she's pregnant as a result of their one-night stand. That leads up to an extended sequence trying to get an abortion in an abandoned apartment which is horrifying, not because they "show" anything, but because it is so gritty and real, and filled with psychological pain. So here it is that you have this film with a beautiful couple with great chemistry, Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen, and you're in an emotional drama, and yet, it's one that has a sense of lightness about it, because of the strong performances they turn in, both of them delicately finding this balance. You have to love Wood's character at so many turns, as she consistently strives to find her own path in life, and her own voice. What an amazing film this is for 1963, and how timely it was seeing it in January, 2016, ominously showing what getting an abortion would be like in America if Roe v. Wade was overturned, and we went backwards during the Trump regime.

'Love with the Proper Stranger" is much more than a standard comedy-romance and drama. Using elements of these genres it explores and shows aspects of mores, culture, time and place of the past. It's a snapshot of mid-20th century America. More specifically, of city life within boroughs. And explicitly, pregnancy that results from a one-night stand. Other reviewers have noted that this was before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973.I agree with those reviewers who say that this may be Natalie Wood's finest performance. She does a superb job at Angie Rossini, going through a range of emotions and stages. Steve McQueen is Rocky Papesano, and he does very well in an atypical role. The supporting cast all give very good performances as well. Edie Adams is especially good as Barbie, and Penny Santon is very good as Mama Rossini.Judging from reviews I've read, it's clear that different people will view a twist in this plot differently. That has to do with the hero rescuing the heroine from a planned abortion. The title is interesting. "Love with the Proper Stranger" seems to say that if one picks the right person, or type of person, for an affair (even a one night stand), it will lead to love, marriage and a life together. In the case of the woman, the man will stand by her, protect her, and fall for her. In the case of the man, he will find her attractive, be drawn to her and fall for her. And, in the course of that love developing, there is no thought of destroying the baby that brought them together.A nice little subplot in this film looks at an old-fashioned idea of chivalry and decency. That is another man who loves the girl, wants to marry her and will tell his relatives that he is the father of the child. This all may seem strange in the 21st century, especially to younger people. In a society that has few taboos or restrictions on sex, and that espouses equality of gender traits, choice and tolerance – in such a society the time-honored mores of responsibility, honor, sacrifice and fidelity may seem strange indeed.This film deserved the five nominations it received for Academy Awards.

I can't figure out why an incredible gritty drama like "Love with the Proper Stranger" (1963) is still out of print. The 50th anniversary of the release of this film is coming up next year, so now would be a great time to release it. There are a lot of people out there that would love to own this film but you can't buy it anywhere at any price. On TCM's website there are over 2630 people who have expressed their interest in seeing this film released on DVD and it is currently ranked #26 on their most asked for list.The plot of the film: After a one-night stand, Angie (Natalie Wood) finds herself pregnant and she informs Rocky (Steve McQuenn) that she wants an abortion. The big twist: Abortion's are illegal and being performed in back rooms by hacks. The lucky few who have actually seen "Love with the Proper Stranger" would tell you that the cast are at their very best. And yet it's been out of print for over 10 years. I don't get it because the film is very clean and doesn't need a huge overhaul. Just slap it on a disc and put it on the shelves, PLEASE!

Love With The Proper Stranger is a romantic comedy with some very serious undertones. It basically tells the story of the result of a one night stand where a girl becomes pregnant and the chap responsible is forced to deal with the situation. At the time, the themes of unmarried pregnancy and back-street abortions were pretty shocking stuff. To today's audiences, this sort of stuff is now covered without a seconds thought in daytime soap operas, so it might be difficult appreciating the daring qualities of this production. However, the scenes where Natalie Wood visit's the abortion 'clinic' are still fairly grim. It has to be said that they sit relatively uncomfortably within the movie as a whole, as the tone otherwise is mainly light-hearted with quite a bit of comic interplay between the various characters. In my opinion it doesn't damage the film however, as it gives it a little bit of an edge and helps add our sympathies to Wood's character. It does have to be said that despite the presence of Steve McQueen, this is undoubtedly Natalie Wood's film. She is the heart and soul of the production and it's hardly surprising that she was nominated for an Oscar off the back of this. Although quite how McQueen's character could forget having a liaison with someone like Natalie Wood is a little mystifying, is he insane? Anyway, generally speaking, McQueen is forced to take a back seat in this film but he is good none-the-less. The film also boasts a fine comic appearance by Happy Days regular Tom Bosley. Quite amusingly he even looked middle-aged way back then! On the down-side, the film does seem to end perhaps too abruptly, it gave the impression that the film-makers had ran out of their allocated time and just wanted to wrap things up quickly. This is, however, a very minor complaint.Love With The Proper Stranger is a quality romantic-drama with comic moments. It's a nice showcase of 60's New York with a lush score accompanying it. However, at the end of the day, I would recommend it mostly for Natalie Wood. I thought she was terrific.