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.