THE LAST NIGHT AT THE RITZ

Another one of those almost Happy Endings? Close to it although on slightly more sophisticated terms than those of that nice old couple in Montana. A little younger too -- on the right side of middle age -- taking place when Gay and her oldest and closest friend (she tells the story) meet for a drink at the Ritz in Boston (Boston is nicely observed -- then and now) even though Gay never has anything stronger than Dubonnet. After all she's the neat, prim, temperate one, always a little disapproving of all those drinks and all those lovers even if there had only been really one that mattered. Elizabeth Savage tells their stories with considerable guile in a forward and backward and sideways reprise (quite sideways -- intimating here, concealing there). The story is attractively managed to make the most of those sentimental recognitions of the girl you once were and the woman you might be and it's surely, ever so surely, simpatico.