The World of Henry Orient 1964

In New York City, Henry Orient, a celebrated concert pianist, pursues an affair with the married Stella Dunnworthy. Meanwhile, two adolescent private-school girls, Val Boyd and Marian ‘Gil’ Gilbert, stalk him and pour their fantasies about him into a diary, turning their fascination into a constant, unsettling presence that seems to shadow every place Henry goes. Henry’s growing paranoia makes him suspect that these girls are juvenile private detectives sent by his would-be lover’s husband, a idea that gnaws at him as the encounters mount.

Val, a bright, imaginative 14-year-old daughter of the wealthy international trade expert Frank Boyd and his unfaithful, snobbish wife Isabel Boyd, has developed a crush on Henry after hearing him perform and pulls Gil into the plan. Gil, whose parents are divorced, leads a comparatively stable life in a city townhouse, balancing school and family while Val—whose parents’ marriage is trying, and whose life is often supervised by paid caretakers—lives with the world-wandering orbit of her parents. The diary becomes their window into a fantasy world that grows with each entry.

When Val’s parents return for Christmas, Val fears that Isabel is having an affair with the young pianist. Isabel, confronted by her daughter’s intrusion, chastises Val and seeks out Henry, ostensibly to steer him away from her underage daughter. The brewing affair between Isabel and Henry intensifies, and Val and Gil accidentally stumble upon it while tailing Henry outside his apartment. The revelation shatters Val’s sense of loyalty and trust, while Isabel’s attempts to cover her tracks only complicate things further.

The affair does not stay secret for long, and Frank begins to piece together what happened. The truth drives a wedge between Frank and Isabel, and eventually they separate as Henry’s paranoia and flightiness push him to flee the country. Yet out of the upheaval, Val experiences a meaningful shift: Frank, who genuinely cares for his daughter, resolves to slow down his globe-trotting and build a stable home where Val can feel secure. The story closes with Val and Gil having matured beyond their earlier fantasies, moving on to more age-appropriate interests like makeup, fashion, and boys their own age, signaling a quiet, hopeful transition from illusion to reality.