The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped

........., my home town, and that's why I sought this made-for-TV film out. I heard one of the writers was a pal of Daniel J. Travanty (who's also from Kenosha), and thereby the in-joke, where Karen Valentine's character has the line "The whole world's working on a new morality, and in Kenosha, they still refer to Ingrid Bergman as 'that woman'". Just a cute, forgotten little opus which serves to mark the next-to-last film of Richard Long's career.

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!

Its been 30 years since I saw this movie, but I remember it well, and seeing Karen Valentine in that bikini really made the movie for me! She has such beautiful skin tones and being so slender in the two piece bikini really made the ratings on my score board. Having her clad in those halter tops throug out the remaining part of the movie was a big bonus! I wish a sequel would have been made, but after so many years gone by I would just assume to have a re-make of this movie using an young actress of today's generation.

When you have it all, you should be happy. However, some people are not when they have it all: a good home, wealth, and happiness. For this guy, he's everything but that. He's a commitment phobe who's near 40. So when he gets a girl who's gift wrapped for his birthday. He's anything but happy. But when time passes on with her at his side, he slowly changed. He has a dog, plants, and he finally rids himself of the maid.

Five years after "The Big Valley", Richard Long has a different character from the show he was on. And Karen Valentine has a heart of gold in this movie. It would be later when "Pretty Woman" would come out to theaters. I liked it very much.

2 out of 5 stars.