Tim (1979)

Tim Melville is a handsome young man with low level intelligence. He works as a builder's laborer and hired by an older woman named Mary Horton to fix up the garden and other various jobs outside the house during the week. To Mary's surprise, Tim shows up on the weekends too. They become good friends; she teaches him to read, he takes her to the beach. However Tim's family is suspicious of their friendship, thinking that Mary is just out to take advantage of Tim's innocent nature, especially when the friendship turns romantic. A wonderfully sweet romantic story; Gibson is most convincing in one of his earlier roles, and Piper Laurie is impressive and brilliant as well. From Colleen McCullough's novel of the same name. Starring Piper Laurie, Mel Gibson, Alwyn Kurts, Pat Evison, Peter Gwynne, Deborah Kennedy 8/10