Marking the Hollywood debut of Liza Minnelli and her arrival as a full-fledged star (she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress), THE STERILE CUCKOO (also known as POOKIE) is a story of a freshman romance between the over-the-top eccentric Pookie (Minnelli) and a reserved undergrad entomologist (Wendell Burton), and is set in a placid upstate New York locale which is a perfect location for this unconventional love story. The film displays a masterful blend of humor and emotion, and represents the debut of another assured talent in director Alan J. Pakula (KLUTE, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, SOPHIE'S CHOICE), highlighting what would become his signature talent for eliciting revealing performances from his actors. The story is an engrossing drama which transcends the conventions of "young love" movies to establish itself as an enduring classic.