Filled in a blank with 'Love Story'

I don’t remember why the 1970 blockbuster movie “Love Story” came up in conversation between me and The Lady of The House.

She was in her recliner and I in mine. She was reading the freshest edition of “The Eastern New Mexico News.”

“I’ve never seen ‘Love Story,’ I said, apropos of nothing.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” she said from behind her paper.

I was taken aback.

If perchance you know nothing about this flick it features Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neal as young, star-crossed lovers.

It contains the famous line, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

I posted our brief conversation on Facebook just to see what sort of reaction people had to my bride’s comment on the matter.

“I agree with your lady! Although the experience wouldn’t be the same as it would have been in 1970. Opportunity lost,” wrote one friend.

“Lady of the House is correct,” wrote another.

And another noted, “I agree with your wife!”

“I stand with the Lady of the House!! Get it done!” wrote another.

I mean, I don’t remember why I didn’t go see “Love Story” the winter of 1970-71.

When I went to the movies then, it was to see science fiction flicks and westerns.

Classics such as “Fantastic Voyage,” “Planet of the Apes,” “Barbarella,” “Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid,” “True Grit,” stuff like that.

I had a crush on a girl at the time.

She was sister to a Boy Scout pal of mine, Dooley. Her name was Jane.

I thought it would be really neat if I took Jane to the movies.

The movie I thought would be cool to take her to wasn’t “Love Story” though. It was titled “The Hellstrom Chronicle.”

Wikipedia describes that movie as combining “elements of documentary, horror and apocalyptic prophecy … depicting the struggle for survival between humans and insects.”

Yeah, I knew a good date flick.

But I never called Jane.

I was just 13 and had no idea how we’d get to the movie.

Besides, I was overcome with, “What if she said ‘NO?’”

I never saw “The Hellstrom Chronicle” either.

I don’t believe I missed much.

“Love Story” would not have been a good first-date movie anyway.

In high school I took a first date to see “The Way We Were” with Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.

That wasn’t first-date material either.

Maybe both would be best as a fifth- or sixth-date movie.

It was Sept. 14, 2024, when I finally watched “Love Story.”

I used the inter-library loan service of the Clovis-Carver Public Library. They got a copy from the Carlsbad library.

Even my friend, Librarian Sara, who called to let me know it had arrived, was amazed I’d never seen “Love Story.”

So The Lady of The House and I sat in our recliners and watched “Love Story.”

I could see aspects of why it was such a popular flick: Jenny, the lead character played by Ali MacGraw, was quite strong-willed, opinionated and said a lot of cusswords.

I could see she’d be a striking character for 1970 cinema.

Ryan O’Neal played the boyfriend.

The great actor Ray Milland played his dad who reminded me a heck of a lot of my dad.

I didn’t fall asleep, which in my world is the hallmark of a good flick.

The Lady of The House did.

But then, she’s seen “Love Story” before.

“Well, that didn’t stand the test of time,” she said when she woke up.

Grant McGee writes for The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him:

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