Mom, the Wolfman and Me

Patty Duke is Deborah Bergman, New York photographer and single mother of 11 year old Jenny (Danielle Brisebois), who meets Theo Marker (David Birney) who owns a wolfhound that she uses for a shoot. Deborah spurns Theo's romantic advances because she likes being independent, however Jenny likes him until Jenny sees Deborah acquiescing and changing.

Duke is proficient in this role, even if the only memorable image is of her naked back in a nightgown - she also visits Theo wearing nothing under a raincoat but we don't see evidence. Even when Deborah wears a dress for Theo rather than her usual jeans, the dress is decidely unfeminine - more kaftan than form-fitting.

The teleplay by director Edmond Levy, based on a novel by Norma Klein, focuses more on Jenny than Deborah, and the low key approach is somewhat represented by Birney's whispering intonation. However Viveca Lindfors is around as Deborah's mother to provide some spiky tension with Duke, and as Wally, an alternate suitor for Deborah that she doesn't take too seriously, John Lithgow has goofy charm and Levy gives him a pratfall on rollerskates.