The Country Girl

THE STORY: The title character is Georgie Elgin, a faithful, forgiving woman, whose long years of devotion to her actor husband, Frank, have almost obliterated her own personality. The life of an actor's wife is not as glamorous as many imagine. Some actors make enough money to tide them over between plays, but not Frank, whose long periods of idleness are punctuated by despair, loss of self-esteem and drink. When Frank is offered a really big part by Bernie Dodd, a young director, in an important new Broadway play, Georgie can't believe her ears. of course he should take it, but only Georgie knows the struggle it would be to boost Frank's morale and reassure him at every turn. Georgie performs her ego boosting job on Frank under the tense watchful eyes of the nervous young director, whose reputation depends on this, his first big play. Then on the evening of the Boston opening the strain proves too great. Frank breaks down, and in the dark light of Frank's relapse, Bernie Dodd sees the country girl for what she is-a magnificent young woman whose self-sacrificing goodness has never been truly appreciated.Clifford Odets is the author of 'The Country Girl' with ISBN 9780822202431 and ISBN 0822202433.