Tarfumes.com - Winter Meeting

Enter a romantic war hero with the improbable name of Slick Novak, played by the boyishly good looking and earnest James Davis. It seems that our hero is invited out to dinner by an upper crust friend of Ms. Grieve named Stacey, wonderfully played by the urbane John Hoyt. Stacey also invites Ms. Grieve, as well as his secretary, played by the lusciously lovely Janis Paige. Stacey believes that Slick will fall for his secretary, when to his and everyone's surprise, Slick falls for the prim and proper Susan.

Susan awakens under the tender and romantic ministrations of Slick and finds herself falling in love. She is brought up short, however, when he discloses that he always wanted to be a priest and appears to be in some personal turmoil over it. Shortly after his disclosure, he suddenly pulls the rug out from under Susan. What follows is somewhat difficult to fathom and the movie, which had started out promisingly, begins to collapse. The only thing that saves the film are the wonderful performances by the cast.

Ms. Davis gives a memorable performance as a woman who comes out of her shell and becomes more three dimensional. James Davis is credible as an angst ridden war hero who falls in love with the reluctant Susan, who, as the viewer discovers, has her own secret, inner turmoil. John Hoyt is delightful as Susan's well to do, dapper and socially prominent confidant and friend. Janis Paige, as a young working woman on the make, succeeds in her role. Unfortunately, the screen play misses its mark and, what could have been a great movie, is merely mediocre, worthy only for the notable performances given by the cast. The performance by Ms. Davis, in particular, makes the film worth watching, despite the somewhat plodding script.