A middle-aged woman walks out on her husband and family in an desperate attempt to find herself.

The triumphs and failures of middle age as seen through the eyes of runaway American housewife Mary Wilson (Jean Simmons), a woman who believes that ultimate reality exists above and beyond the routine procedures of conscious, uninspired, everyday life. She feels cheated by an older generation that taught her to settle for nothing less than storybook finales, people who are disillusioned and restless and don't know why, people for whom life holds no easy answers. Great supporting cast includes John Forsythe, Teresa Wright, Lloyd Bridges, Shirley Jones, Bobby Darin, Tina Louise, Dick Shawn, and Nanette Fabray.—alfiehitchie

Fred and Mary Wilson have been married for sixteen years and live in Denver. For Mary, the marriage has not ended up being the fairy tale she envisioned it would be, like those in the old movies she loves to watch. Mary has resorted to excessive drinking and popping pills to keep sane. Fred tells her he still loves her, but she doubts that is really what he is feeling. He in turn is aware of her tenuous mental state. He has decided to have those close to her, such as their housekeeper Agnes and Mary's mother, watch Mary's every move just in case she really does get into trouble from her self-destructive behavior. Quite some time ago, he also cut her off from any discretionary spending of their money. On the eve of their sixteenth wedding anniversary, Mary, instead of showing up to their scheduled party, pawns a watch and hops on a plane to the Bahamas so that she can get away from the environment which is causing her grief. On board the plane, she runs into Flo, an old friend from college. Since Mary has no money and made no plans whatsoever for her time in the Bahamas, Flo and her travel companion Sam take Mary under their wing. While in the Bahamas, Mary evaluates her life based on the other path taken by Flo who has supported herself by being the mistress to a series of wealthy married men, and on an encounter with a suave Italian named Franco.—Huggo