That Tender Touch
1962 Sue Bernard, Bee Tomkins
This is the strangest love story of 1962, with three people caught in its meshes. That Tender Touch brings to the screen a "hands-off" theme, the taboo subject of the love between two women. The nudity and sex are handled delicately.
Produced with an entire cast of unknowns because he felt it would thus heighten the feeling of a real life d r a m a, producer-director-writer Russel Vincent has brought to the screen a human drama with all its heartaches, frustrations, sense of guilt, and ultimate tragedy. For the first time viewers can probe into the hearts and minds of a girl and a woman deeply, if tragically, in love.
Sue Bernard is the girl, Bee Tompkins the woman driven to destruction, Rick Cooper the young husband, Phae Dera is a teenager typical of so many girls who, like her, seek all the forbidden fruit that life can offer them.
David Saxon composed the music for the picture, including the title song.
That Tender Touch
Marsha (Bee Tompkins) is strolling through
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a residential area in search of memories. Her face mirrors anguish, frustration, and indecision; as in flashbacks she remembers happier days when she and Terry (Sue Bernard) shared an apartment here. She mothered and befriended the orphaned Terry, and fell deeply in love with her.
Terry, like all normal young girls, dated many boys, but found them crude in their approach, lacking the warm kindness and understanding that she hoped for. Especially vivid in Marsha's reverie is the night Terry rushed into her arms, seeking tenderness and love after a date with a playboy (Roger Helfond), who treated her too brutally for her young innocence to understand. Because of this unfruitful search among men for the love her developing femininity demanded, Terry's relationship with Marsha gradually changed into a physical love.
As memories engulf Marsha, she longs to see Terry again, and goes to the home of Terry, now newly-wed and just back from her honeymoon. A house-warming party is in progress. Uninvited, Marsha joins the guests, as a tense, uncomfortable atmosphere develops. Ken (Rick Cooper), the young bridegroom, makes it clear that Marsha is unwelcome, but Terry insists that she remain as their house guest until she can find work. As the party progresses, the older woman again falls under Terry's spell and maneuvers her into an embrace, just as the mini-skirted maid, Dodie (Margaret Read), interrupts.
Next morning, Dodie, believing Marsha will respond, tries to seduce her, but is unsuccessful. In the days that follow, Marsha receives other overtures; from neighbor Wendy (Phae Dera) who has been influenced by reading forbidden books; and by Jane, a Vietnam widow. But Marsha ignores their advances; she is deeply, whole-heartedly in love with Terry only. She warns Wendy that a man, with all his crudeness, is preferable to the tender touch of a woman.
Her own torment grows, as she feels Terry is irretrievably lost to her. However, listening to their love-making through thin walls, she realizes that Terry has not wholly made the transition to a normal heterosexual relationship.
CAST
Terry Manning .......................... SUE BERNARD
Marsha Prentis .......................... BEE TOMPKINS
Ken Manning .......................... RICK COOPER
Wendy Barrett .......................... PHAE DERA
Dodie - Maid .......................... MARGARET READ
JaneNelson .......................... VICTORIA HALE
Paul Barrett .......................... RICHARD ST. JOHN
Irene Bajrett .......................... TANIA LEMANI
Jim - Date in Car .......................... ROGER HELFOND
Russ- Wendy Date .......................... JOE CASTAGNA
Running time: 90 MINUTES
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