6/10
Cannot stand Victor Mature
19 December 2008
I do not like Victor Mature (VM) in films - put it down to his greasy hair, chain-smoking habit and uncultured voice.He seems particularly miscast in this film as a playwright.A modern playwright should be like Arthur Miller, Robert Bolt or Tennesee Williams.I just did not "buy" our delightful export to Hollywood, Miss Jean Simmons (JS) wanting to have a relationship with VM's character which sponged off her, took her chicken legs food and generally forced his attentions onto her.However I did not buy the DVD to see VM but to see the beautiful brunette JS at the peak of her looks.Basically "Affair With a Stranger" is the story of a struggling playwright who cannot sell his plays to the producers of commercial theatres.He meets JS on New Years eve and starts a relationship poncing off her job as a model.JS has faith in his ability to produce a hit play and of course Hollywood comes to his predictable aid when "Venus Films" agrees to buy the screen rights.During his life of penury VM gets a job as a waiter at a posh restaurant and slips his manuscript into the pile a famous producer is considering at his table.To keep body and soul together VM visits a restaurant and mixes together a soup from various condiments with hot water.This scene has always stayed in my mind over the years when I only saw it on TV (although you do not have access to hot water today in the restaurants I know).

JS and VM marry but lose the child they wanted and VM is told by the male doctor dealing with JS that she cannot have any more children.I laughed when I saw them both lighting up in his surgery.I will not reveal any more of the plot which is predictable.I rated it 6/10.It is one of two JS films I taped off the TV some time ago - the other was Adam and Evelynne (1949) which is the better of the two.My rating reflects the performance of JS and the able supporting actors who did a good job with the script.
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