The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped

Aaron Spelling-Leonard Goldberg TV-movie from ABC in 1974 follows a pretty predictable formula: swinging bachelor meets his match, learns a lesson in love, discovers growing up isn't a bad as he thought it would be. Richard Long is a magazine publisher celebrating the big 4-0 who doesn't think his "present" from the fellas, wisecracking Karen Valentine in a skimpy outfit, is very amusing. After trading barbs with the former beauty pageant winner, he finds they have an attraction of sorts and she sticks around. Perhaps because the writer of this teleplay was a woman (Susan Silver), Long's would-be lascivious lifestyle is frowned upon--he's the one who needs (and gets) the make-over. Still, this female point-of-view provides some interesting subtext, and when Long refuses to say "I love you" (preferring instead the all-inclusive "love ya!"), the dialogue and situations show a sensitivity that isn't always found in these television quickies. Lots of fine supporting players pop up (including Farrah Fawcett and Tom Bosley), and the low-budget isn't too distracting.

They insist I write ten lines...which I don't really want to do, All I wanted to do was to thank the people who wrote these reviews. As the writer of this MOW, I appreciate the great reviews and comments. After all these years, it's nice to see the movie struck some chords. It was fun to do and though there were some changes... rewrites by others, I still enjoyed the final product and working with the terrific actress Karen Valentine who became a friend. Both this and another MOW that I wrote were Top Ten in ratings in those early days of MOWs. So, to everyone who liked it... Thanks a lot!!

Susan Silver

It's nice when romance and everything about it has a twist of humour too!That's exactly what the scriptwriter to this 1974 made-for-TV movie did and boy,did he do it well! Karen Valentine plays a small town girl who is hired by a rich playboy's friends as his "birthday present".Robert Long plays the role of the publishing tycoon,Michael Green,who has just turned 40 but refuses to admit it.His magazine boasts that it's for "the guy who has everything" but Greene find himself alone and drunk on the night of his 40th birthday.He feels alone and empty when in walks Sandy Benson in a bikini and a bow and his life is never the same again.Now if this was one of your run-of-the-mill romances and you're up at 11:00 in the night you'd think why bother?But what it is a wonderfully charming and witty comedy with 2 equally charming and witty actors who refuse to let you get bored!

Karen Valentine shows up as Richard Long's 40th birthday present. He publishes a magazine called "The Man Who has Everything," but personally he is in a funk, and doesn't really have much. He doesn't need the stripper to come do her act and then leave. He needs Karen to come and stay. The next to the last film in Long's long career, he would die of heart failure before 1974 was out but it's a sweet one he goes out on. Karen Valentine is as cute as a button so it's not surprising Long can't resist, even if she does come with a dog and plants. It is a cute little movie, good for lifting spirits in a time when spirits really need lifting.

...you'd like to see Ms. Valentine sing "Happy Birthday" and finish by dropping off her overcoat revealing her bikini-clad figure. She was something pretty cute in 1974, and I was something pretty confused at the age of 16. Her "Room 222" persona made her the ideal fantasy woman for that time and place, and this bit of absurd TV sexism gave me something I wanted. If you remember her as I do, this one scene will be worth the rental, and not purely for its prurience. It might make you feel young again, if only very briefly.