During my childhood I had a hopeless crush on Rock Hudson and watched this movie every time it came on TV. It'd been about 10 years since I'd seen it when I discovered the DVD was available on NetFlix.

The Story
Middle-Aged, wealthy widow Cary Scott(Jane Wyman) falls in love with the much younger Ron Kirby(Rock Hudson) who leads a much simpler life, and pays heavy consequences when her friends and family find out about her new love.

What We Like

The Cast
Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson are both wonderful actors, but we were hard-pressed to find anyone in this film that we didn't really like. Agnes Moorehead does a wonderful job as Cary's supportive but pragmatic best friend, as do William Reynolds and Gloria Talbott as Cary's selfish and short-sighted children.

The Cinematography
Every moment in this movie is just beautiful to watch. From the warm, rustic, romantic atmosphere of the scenes with Hudson and Wyman in Kirby's environment, to the starkly contrasting cold luxury of Cary's home. There are plenty of outdoor scenes as well.

The Themes
Basically, this movie is about not allowing society, or your friends and family, to rule your life. It's about deciding what is important to you and being strong enough to live by that, even if it means not being able to "keep up with the Jones's."

What We Didn't Like

The Age Thing
My husband and I both felt that they made a little too much of Wyman's character's age in this film. Only 40 when this film was made (Hudson was about 30), they seemed to be trying to convince us that Cary was at least 50, and they over did it at that with having her date a very old man and with her children treating her as though she was a doddering old lady. It just felt like they were cramming it down our throats. By the end of the first 30 minutes, I was saying "Enough already. I get it! She's O-L-D OLD!"

Standing the Test of Time?
My husband watched this movie with me, and it was the first time he'd seen it. Throughout the film, he kept asking me "Is this realistic? How can that be?" This movie takes place in the 50s, and we were born in the early 70s. He couldn't believe that children in their early 20s were behaving so childishly or that a woman would be so vilified for falling in love with a younger, less wealthy man.

Final Thoughts
This is a wonderfully romantic movie that - thank heavens - has a happy ending. It's pretty melodramatic, which some people may not like, and others may be disgusted by the behavior of Cary's adult children and friends. Watch it while bearing the era and small-town claustrophobia in mind, otherwise you may find it ridiculous.

Note of Interest: The winning team of Wyman, Hudson, and Moorehead can also be seen in another wonderful movie by the same director: Magnificent Obsession

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie