The Sandpiper

Laura Reynolds (Elizabeth Taylor) is a free-spirited, unwed single mother living with her young son Danny (Morgan Mason) in an isolated California beach house near Big Sur. She makes a modest living as an artist and home-schools her son out of concern that he will be compelled to follow detrimental conventional social norms in a regular public school. Danny has gotten into some trouble with the law through two minor incidents, in her eyes innocent expressions of his natural curiosity and conscience rather than delinquency. Now with a third incident (shooting a deer), a judge orders her to send the boy to an Episcopal boarding school where Dr. Edward Hewitt (Richard Burton) is headmaster, and his wife Claire (Eva Marie Saint) teaches. At an initial interview, there is a momentary immediate attraction between Laura and Edward, but this quickly turns into tension brought on by their greatly differing world views and Laura's dislike of religion. Finally, she storms out. She attempts to flee the area with her son but they are quickly picked up by police who take Danny to the school. He initially has trouble fitting in because his mother's home-schooling has left him far in advance of boys his age in several subjects; the standard course of instruction at Edward's school leaves him restless and bored. At Claire's suggestion, Edward visits Laura to learn more about Danny and his upbringing. Laura's unconventional morals initially disturb Edward, such as modeling topless for an artist friend named Cos Erickson (Charles Bronson), for Laura's ways conflict with his religious training. After visiting her several more times, he finds that he wants her very much and cannot get her out of his mind. The two begin a torrid extramarital affair. Edward struggles with the guilt this produces, while Laura encourages him to accept their love as right. Meanwhile, Danny flourishes after Edward relaxes school rules and allows the boy to choose more advanced classes. But one evening, the secret love affair is eventually exposed by a remark made to Edward in the presence of Claire by a jealous former lover of Laura's, and Edward is forced to confess all to his wife. At first, Claire is distraught, but later they quietly discuss it in the light of how their lives have diverged from the idealistic religious fervor of the first years of their marriage. He says that he still loves her and that he will end the affair. They decide to separate for a while. When Edward tells Laura that he told his wife about their affair, she too gets angry over being the second woman in his life and tells them that their relationship is over, too. A few days later, with the school year over, Laura tells Danny that they can move away for she has made enough money from her painting sales for them to leave. But Danny refuses for he has put down roots at the school and wants to stay there. She has a moment of pain but realizes her son's need to be free and agrees to stay where they are for now. Danny asks Laura to come to church to hear him and the choir sing. She doesn't want to be placed in that position to be in church with Edward and Claire, but because she loves Danny and wants to support him, she agrees. During the service, Edward resigns his position at the school and the church. In his resignation speech, he mentions some of the things he'll miss and although they sound generic, they are things he and Laura shared. Tears fill her eyes. After the service, Edward sees Laura and tells her he is leaving the area and going to travel. As a parting gift, Edward has arranged for Danny to attend school tuition-free. All Laura can do is look at Edward with tears in her eyes. In the final scene, on Edward's way out of town, he stops at Laura's place for a silent farewell. She and Danny are down on the beach, Edward up on the bluff above looking down at them. When Laura sees him, she thinks he's come back to her and not going to leave. She smiles and turns from her painting to start toward him, but he turns and walks away.