All the praise for this movie in the other comments here should be taken as read. This is one of my favourite films, for many many reasons.
It should be noted that the story is very much from Novalyne Price's viewpoint, which explains the movie-of-the-week feel that sometimes arises. If this movie had been shot from Howard's point of view, we can be pretty sure it would have been a lot darker, more lurid and more violent! The way the film supports Novalyne's opinions rather than Howard's is, I guess, in keeping with the story, i.e. romance foundering on Novalyne's inability to accept Howard for who he is, flaws and all. (Am I the only one who thought Novalyne was heartless to insist Howard stop caring for his dying mother?) It's an age-old story: the pain of romance made impossible by differing interests and natures.
It should be noted that the story is very much from Novalyne Price's viewpoint, which explains the movie-of-the-week feel that sometimes arises. If this movie had been shot from Howard's point of view, we can be pretty sure it would have been a lot darker, more lurid and more violent! The way the film supports Novalyne's opinions rather than Howard's is, I guess, in keeping with the story, i.e. romance foundering on Novalyne's inability to accept Howard for who he is, flaws and all. (Am I the only one who thought Novalyne was heartless to insist Howard stop caring for his dying mother?) It's an age-old story: the pain of romance made impossible by differing interests and natures.