THE OTHER LOVER
US, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lindsay Wagner, Jack Scalia, Max Gail, Millie Perkins.
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller.
The Other Lover is a glossy, romantic, melodramatic telemovie. Designed for the popular audience, it offers an affluent world in San Francisco - a successful novelist, a successful publisher, their liaison and its effect on each until the wife is discovered by her teenage daughter and decisions have to be made. The material is conventional enough, played in the lush television style. Lindsay Wagner is at home in this kind of romantic drama. Jack Scalia is the romantic lead. The film is directed by Robert Ellis Miller, better known in the '60s for directing such films as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Any Wednesday, Sweet November.
1. Entertaining telemovie, popular romantic melodrama?
2. San Francisco settings, affluence, homes and apartments, restaurants, social environment? Musical score?
3. The title, Jack's experience, Claire's? The affair? The relationship of Claire to her family? The novel and Jack's success writing of his experience?
4. Claire, her home life, successful husband, comfortable with her daughter, with her younger daughter? Her work, encounter with Jack, bumping the car, the discussion about the book cover, lunch? The publicity, marketing the novel? Going to Sacramento for the television program? Her reaction to Jack's comments, his approach in the hotel, the beginning of the affair? The lyrical collages of their affair? Her return home, being normal in the family? The meetings with Jack? Caught by Alison, pursuing her, trying to explain? The discussions with Jack, the break-up? Her not being exposed by her daughter? The later encounter with Jack, their polite talk, the agreement to meet - and the empty table? Jack's writing another novel, using his experience? Her return to her family? The effect of the affair?
5. Jack, his comments, writing, his way of life, anger with the cover, the encounter with Claire, the lunch, his blunt comments during the television interview? Her reaction, his approach to her, the seduction? The lyrical affair, its effect on him? The deception? The end of the affair, his accepting this, going back to his writing, the novel and its publication, meeting Claire again?
6. The portrait of the family, the successful doctor, busy, absences? Comfortable at home, love for his wife, the children? Alison, at ease with her mother, the photo of the author being `cute', her discovering her mother kissing Jack, her anger, attack on her mother, love for her father and not hurting him by telling him the truth?
7. The San Francisco background of the world of publishing and novels? Media and publicity?
8. Audiences identifying with the characters, love, relationships, betrayal, the end of affairs?
