Drama Cult Classic

Aging chorus girl Gloria faces love, longing, and new possibilities under the nightclub lights.

THE THIRD GIRL FROM THE LEFT

1973 · 1h 30m · NR · Drama / TV Movie · IMDB TMDB

An aging chorus girl finally comes to the realization that her long-running affair with a nightclub comic has no future. She soon begins to notice that a good-looking, and much younger, delivery boy is paying a lot of attention to her.

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Quick Answer

What is The Third Girl from the Left about?

The Third Girl from the Left is a 1973 American drama TV movie directed by Peter Medak about an aging chorus girl whose stagnant affair with a nightclub comedian leads her to notice a younger delivery boy who is drawn to her.

Programmer's Pick

Kim Novak brings layered vulnerability to Gloria, a nightclub dancer reckoning with lost time and new temptation. Peter Medak steers this TV melodrama with a knowing eye on showbiz heartbreak and the bittersweet pull of second chances.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Gloria Joyce, a seasoned chorus girl, finds herself at a crossroads as she faces the realities of aging and the waning prospects of her longstanding relationship with a nightclub comic. In the vibrant yet confining world of nightclub entertainment, Gloria begins to sense her own romantic dissatisfaction and questions the future she’s built with her comedian lover. Amid the glimmer and routine of her nightly performances, she becomes aware of the growing attention from a much younger delivery boy—an encounter that awakens feelings she thought were long dormant. The film explores themes of desire, vulnerability, and the search for connection against the backdrop of show business and changing expectations.

Details & Specs

Director: Peter Medak
Writer: Dory Previn
Release: 1973
Runtime: 1h 30m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Drama, TV Movie

Why This Matters

This film marked the television movie debuts of stars Kim Novak and Tony Curtis, and was produced by Playboy Films with Hugh Hefner as executive producer, premiering as part of the influential ABC Movie of the Week anthology.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Peter Medak Writer: Dory Previn

Kim Novak Gloria Joyce

Tony Curtis Joey Jordan

Michael Brandon David

George Furth Zimmy

Michael Conrad Hugh

Bern Hoffman Len Winters JS Jenifer Shaw Gaye

Louis Guss Murray

Barbi Benton Melanie

Anne Ramsey Madeline

Larry Bishop Bedford JJ J.S. Johnson Desk Man ST Sheela Tessler Dancer #1 MW Myran White Dancer #2 SK Shirley Kirkes Dancer #3 BM Bobbie McCauley Stewardess RA René Assa Larry NS Norman Stevans Maitre D' (uncredited)

Explore More

Love Male Female Relationship Nightclub Infidelity Melodrama Dancer Affair Delivery Boy Comedian abc movie of the week Chorus Girl

Why Cult

Kim Novak Lead Performance

Kim Novak stars as Gloria, infusing the role with depth and poignancy as she navigates the emotional crossroads of an aging chorus girl.

Nightclub Melodrama Setting

The film unfolds in the world of nightclub entertainers, pairing backstage drama with onstage spectacle for an intimate exploration of love and ambition.

Melodramatic Romantic Triangle

Gloria's entanglements with a comedian and a younger delivery boy drive the film's tension, exploring age, desire, and shifting loyalties.

ABC Movie of the Week

As part of the classic 'ABC Movie of the Week' lineup, this film delivers a slice of 1970s television drama with a touch of glamour and grit.