Love Affair

During a flight to Sydney, Mike Gambril, a sports announcer and former football star, meets Terry McKay, an engaged singer. When the plane malfunctions, the crew orders an emergency descent and the passengers brace for impact. In the crisis, Mike and Terry comfort each other, forming the first spark of a deep connection.

The plane makes an emergency landing on a remote atoll and the passengers await rescue by nearby ships. Mike and Terry grow closer as they share fear and hope during the wait. The bond between them deepens even as they face the uncertainty of rescue.

As the passengers adjust to life after the landing, they board a Russian cruise boat and mingle with the crew. The atmosphere becomes lively and Mike and Terry nearly kiss, but party revelers interrupt, sending Terry back to her cabin. The incident leaves them both wondering about what could have been.

The next day, despite a hangover, Terry hears Mike invite her to visit his elderly aunt Ginny on Moorea during a routine stopover. She agrees, and they share a lunch with the aunt and play music together. The idyllic setting kindles their romance and renews their connection.

Rather than taking a jet home, Terry and Mike decide to continue their romance on the boat for several more days. They spend time together, sharing music, meals, and intimate moments that deepen their bond. The voyage becomes the turning point of their relationship.

On the voyage back to New York, they agree to reunite at the Empire State Building in three months. They also end their engagements with Lynn Weaver and Ken Allen to pursue the relationship, knowing the risk involved.

Back in the United States, Mike experiences an existential crisis about his TV career and returns to painting as a hobby. He quits his TV job and takes a post as head coach at a small college. He also paints a portrait of Terry wearing his aunt's handmade shawl, a symbol of their bond.

Terry continues a career as a singer, mainly in advertising work. On the journey toward their planned rendezvous, she is struck by a car while jaywalking and sustains grave injuries. She is rushed to the hospital and placed in critical condition.

On the Empire State Building observation deck, Mike waits for a reunion that never comes. After many hours in the rain, he concedes at midnight that Terry has rejected him and their plan to meet.

Paralyzed from the accident, Terry refuses to contact Mike and starts a new life as a music teacher in a small elementary school. She adapts to her condition while continuing to pursue music in a limited way.

Six months after the accident, Terry attends a holiday concert featuring Ray Charles with her former fiancé Ken. Mike does not notice her in her wheelchair, and their brief hello is curt, highlighting the emotional distance between them.

On Christmas Eve, Mike visits Terry and hopes to understand her distance. He mentions the aunt and reveals that he painted Terry wearing the shawl, a painting once displayed in a hotel restaurant. When he sees Terry still resting on the couch, he realizes why she missed their appointment and the truth of their story.