The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped

Richard Long plays Michael. He's a very successful guy and has every reason to be happy. But he's just turned 40 and is in a funk. To help him out, a co-worker (Tom Bosley...NICE Tom Bosley of all people) hire a woman (Karen Valentine) to arrive at Michael's house...gift wrapped in a bow. But Michael is no cad. Instead of a quickie, he just spends the evening talking to his 'gift' and soon the pair become friends. What he doesn't realize is that his 'gift' really likes him and would like to become more than just friends. The problem is that Michael is a very damaged guy and has serious problems with commitment and intimacy. What's next in this strange comedy-romance?!

If you grew up long ago like I did, you'll enjoy seeing all the familiar TV faces in this made for TV film. Richard Long ("The Big Valley"), Karen Valentine ("Room 222"), Farrah Fawcett ("Charlie's Angels"), Tom Bosley ("Happy Days"), Dave Madden ("The Partridge Family") and Rita Shaw ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir") are among the familiar TV folks you'll see in this one.

So is it any good? Yes. While not among the deepest things I've ever seen, it is enjoyable and has some interesting messages about commitment and modern love.

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.

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

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.

........., 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.