Oliver's Story

"It takes someone very special to help you forget someone very special."

Apr 12 1979 PG 1h 31m
Drama, Romance

Oliver Barrett IV is emotionally devastated by the death of his wife Jenny, and, while he tries to lose himself in his work as a lawyer, the long hours don't ease his pain, especially when he finds that his leftist views conflict with those of the senior partners at the firm. Eventually, Oliver's inconsolable grief begins to alienate those around him, until he finds new love with Marcie Bonwit, the wealthy and beautiful heiress to the Bonwit Teller fortune. Despite his affection for her, Oliver finds it difficult to leave the memory of Jenny behind, which causes major problems in their relationship.

Plot

It's been eighteen months since lawyer Oliver Barrett IV's wife, Jenny Barrett née Cavilleri, his college sweetheart and the love of his life, died at age twenty-five from leukemia. To cope, Oliver has immersed himself in work, especially in a pet project to assist low income tenants in a lower east side Manhattan housing project take control of the building's renovation by investing their "sweat" as equity, but has otherwise retreated from the world. Those that love him, including Jenny's father, Phil Cavilleri, want him to move on emotionally from Jenny's death to be able to open himself up to love again. A secret set-up by some friends shows Oliver that he at least has to address his emotional distress by regular therapy sessions. In doing so, he is able to approach a woman to who he is attracted, divorced Marcie Nash, an employee at upscale Bonwit Teller. Both Oliver and Marcie are cautious in opening up fully about their lives, Oliver about Jenny, and Marcie about the fact that she works professionally under her maiden name "Bonwit", her current role in the company not as an "employee" per se, but being a Board member. These issues may place hurdles in their relationship in the memory of Jenny coloring how he deals with Marcie as a girlfriend, and their similar socio-economic background - as opposed to Jenny who came from a working class background - placing certain expectations, at least on her part, in the relationship. In this relationship, Oliver may also get a better understanding of what has always been his stiff and strained relationship with his father, Oliver Barrett III, on the eve of his retirement from the family's textile business.

Written by

Erich Segal, John Korty

Directed by

John Korty

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Paramount

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
1,139
Average Rating
4.7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA