Affair with a Stranger
Tags: flashback

Plot synopsis:
Successful playwright, Bill Blakeley (Victor Mature) phones his wife, Carol (ex model, Carolyn Parker) (Jean Simmons) to find out why she has not arrived in Philadelphia (from New York) to see the opening of his newest play. She seems ambivalent about her non-appearance and he loses his temper at her apparent lack of interest.This is exactly the opportunity for which the leading actress in the play, Janet Boothe (Monica Lewis), has been waiting. She moves in on him with all the agility of a well-oiled viper and, before Blakeley realises it, the pair have a dinner date arranged for that evening. Also, without Blakeley knowing it, Boothe has been on the phone to gossip columnist, Lucy Lawson (Henny Backus), to pass on the scoop that Blakeley and his wife are about to divorce - with her as the interloper.Within minutes of the call, the news becomes the highlight of Lawsons nightly gossip report and, soon after, it hits the newspapers. Tongues are set wagging all over New York, resulting in a series of flash-backs based on conversations between of some the couples oldest friends and, in doing so, unveils the history of their relationship from the day they first met."It was New Years Eve, 1948 or was it 49 ..." begins the story of Pop (George Cleveland), an elderly newspaper seller in Times Square, at whose stand the pair met. He explains to one of his regulars how Blakeley was then just an unknown who fell for Carolyn the moment he saw her.
The next reflection comes from Ma Stanton (Jane Darwell) who runs the diner below the apartment in which Carolyn once lived. She recalls how Carolyn hadnt met any other men before Blakeley appeared but that, soon after, he had become a regular visitor.Ma had witnessed his great charm, first hand, when he first came for dinner - after shed helped Carol clean up the result of several disasters, including; a sodden carpet caused by a broken vase, torn curtains and, (unbeknown to her at the time) a skirt ripped all the way up the back - which had befallen the normally well organised and neat-as-a-pin Miss Parker. On that occasion Blakely had proved to be both good natured and the perfect gentleman - and had won the hearts of both ladies.In fact, Bill's first remarks, after Ma left that night pertained to the overwhelming neatness of Carols apartment and how very feminine it looked. Carol, being something of an 50s feminist, took this as an insult that she didnt have any other male friends - so she informed Blakeley that she had a male caller just the previous night and that the same male caller was coming again the following night. Keen to find out more about his possible competition, Bill discovers that the other mans name is Tim.Later that night, one of Carols neighbours, Mrs Wallace (Victoria Home), who lives with her young son, knocks on the door to ask whether Carol can mind little Tim (Billy Chapin) as she has been called in to work unexpectedly. When Bill realises that little Tim is the other man he is very much relieved the three of them settle in for an evening of fun during which Bill proves to be very good with children.The next conversation occurs between a newspaper reporter who is trying to write a novel in his spare time, Happy Murray (Dabbs Greer) - and his wife Dolly (Mary Jo Tarola) - one of Carolyns modelling friends. Dolly is certain that, if the story is true, it is because of Blakeleys untrustworthy nature. She formed that opinion of him on the first night they met - when he and Carolyn had come over for dinner after which they were supposed to go to the movies.However, when Happys friends came over to play a regular, weekly poker game, Bill soon dumped the girls and stayed with the boys instead. When Dolly came home and gave Bill the message that Carol had gone home without him he seemed to dismiss it as a fairly minor issue but, to Dolly, it was proof that he was shiftless.Eventually Dolly persuades Carol that Bill is a worthless gambler with little prospect of success and that she should break it off with him however, while Carol agrees in principle, she doesnt seem to put a great deal of vigour into informing him of her decision.During a chance meeting at a cafeteria, Carol (hiding behind a newspaper) witnesses the starving Blakely preparing himself a free meal of soup (comprising tomato ketchup flavoured with a dash of every condiment available, topped off with hot water). They meet when Bill (unaware that it is Carol behind the newspaper), attempts to steal one of her bread rolls. When Dolly joins them, she tries to steer Carol towards a break up but, despite her efforts, they agree to meet again. Not only does Dollys break-up plan fail but she also ends up giving most of her breakfast to Blakeley, who devours it with all the glee of a starving man.When Happy receives a call to come in to work (on the night that the gossip was released) the cab driver turns out to be none other than an old friend of Blakeleys, Joe (Wally Vernon). Happy informs Joe of the news and, as the two talk about old times, we find out more details about the relationship in particular that, when Blakely had no money and even fewer prospects, it was Carol who had proposed marriage to him in the back of the very same cab.After seeing the poverty in which Blakeley had been living and having witnessed all the problems which Dollys husband, Happy, was having trying to write a novel, while holding down a full time job, she demonstrates her belief in Blakeleys by supporting him so that he can devote all of his energy to writing
After they marry Bill insists that he should help by doing the housework but he is not at all suited to domestic duties especially while trying to write plays. Thankfully, however, one of his plays is sold (for next to nothing) to a little known Producer/Director and Bill thinks that his hard work is about to pay off. However, the Producer is so bad and the play is such a huge flop that it damages his career more than promotes it. Depressed by failure, Bill informs Carol that he will give up his dream of becoming a playwright tells her that he is going out to find steady work as a journalist. But, in yet another display of her confidence in him, she insists that he must keep writing.When Carol finds out she is pregnant, Bill becomes so desperate to prove that he is a good provider, that he takes on a job as a waiter at swanky restaurant. Unfortunately he proves to have very little aptitude for this job either but, luckily, manages to hold onto it for long enough to be able to wait on the table of a big-time Broadway Producer, George W. Craig (Nicholas Joy), who happens to have several prospective scripts with him at the time.Bill phones home to have his latest script brought down to the restaurant and secretly places it among the others. Of course, the play becomes Craigs next big box office hit which runs for over two years. This begins a string of successes for Blakeley who eventually becomes wealthy enough to buy a big house out on Long Island, complete with a maid and a pool, not far from the home of Mr and Mrs Craig. Despite all the things which money can buy, however, there is clearly something wrong.The next discussion, between Ma and a nurse who lives in the apartments, Miss Crutcher (Lillian Bronson), fills us in on some more of the details. They reflect back to the source of Carols attitude when her first child was still born on the opening night of Blakeleys first successful play. They outline how the couple tried everything to have another child but were unsuccessful leaving Carol to feel depressed, for having failed Bill and, therefore, withdrawing from their relationship.One day, Bill happens to run into Ma who is looking after little Timmy, because his mother is ill. When he finds out that Mrs Wallace is unable to afford treatment Bill immediately offers to pay for it and also offers to look after Tim while she is in hospital partly because he thinks it will help Mrs Wallace and partly because he thinks that having Tim around may help Carol snap out of her depression.The ideas works a treat and Carol loves having Tim around. In fact she says that she wishes there were some way they could keep him forever. Soon after this they receive the bad news that Tims mother has, in fact, died and they adopt him.At home, with Tim, Carol has taken the phone off the hook to avoid any more calls about the gossip and appears to be slipping further away from Bill. But, just down the road, at the Craigs, Blakeleys Producer and his wife are also discussing the gossip. Mrs Craig, a very pragmatic woman, immediately deduces that the glamorous Janet Boothe is out to get Bill and that she has what it takes to bag him. They also reflect on a few similar turmoils which have rocked their own marriage and Mrs Craig, who is obviously a very forgiving women, determines to set Carol on the right course.She pays a visit to Carols home and lays the facts of the situation on the line that, if Carol sits idly by, Boothe will, no doubt, seduce her husband. And, in the best traditions of 50s womanhood, she convinces Carol that, if she wants to keep Bill, she will have to fight for him - no matter what he has done. So Carol boards the next train to Philadelphia.Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, Bill knows nothing about the gossip and it is unclear exactly whether anything has gone on between him and Boothe, overnight - although it is clear that he is attracted to her. When the morning papers arrive however, and Bill reads the gossip column, he immediately goes into panic mode and, feeling guilty, catches the next train to New York hoping that he will be able to explain everything to Carol.As he rehearses his story on the train, it is revealed that, while he did kiss Miss Booth (largely at her insistence), Bill has done very little else of which to be ashamed apart from being tempted by her rather obvious charms.As they sit in their respective trains thinking about what they will do and say, their trains pull up at the same station and their windows happen to be opposite. When their eyes meet it commences a mad scramble to get to each other and, after criss-crossing, they eventually manage to meet on the platform and embrace. Carol begins crying, with delight, and when Bill gives her his handkerchief, she notices some lipstick on it but, heeding Mrs Craigs advice, dismisses it without a word. As the trains pull out they are left together on the platform and Bill announces, with a gleam in his eye, that there wont be another train for two days and that the only thing for them to do is book into a hotel.Carol, realising that he really does love her after all, is so delighted by the prospect that, as they walk off the platform arm in arm, she drops the lipstick stained handkerchief in a nearby bin and, presumably, they live happily ever after.