Never Say Goodbye (1946)

Director:

James V. Kern

Writers:

Ben Barzman (story) and
Norma Barzman (story) ...

Release Date:

9 November 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Two people impossibly in Love!

Plot:

Phil and Ellen Gayley have been divorced for a year, and their 8-year old daughter, Flip, is very unhappy that her parents are not together...

Plot Keywords:

Daughter | Christmas | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Errol Flynn	...	Phil Gayley
Eleanor Parker	...	Ellen Gayley
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Hamilton
S.Z. Sakall	...	Luigi Restaurateur (as S.Z. 'Cuddles' Sakall)
Forrest Tucker	...	Cpl. Fenwick 'Wickie' Lonkowski
Donald Woods	...	Rex DeVallon
Peggy Knudsen	...	Nancy Graham
Tom D'Andrea	...	Jack Gordon
Hattie McDaniel	...	Cozy
Patti Brady	...	Phillippa 'Flip' Gayley

Runtime:

97 min | 94 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Germany:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #11069, General Audience)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

When Errol Flynn dons a disguise as Humphrey Bogart, it's Bogart himself who's doing the voice-over.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Okay for Sound (1946)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

Forrest Tucker is the real surprise...and Flynn is excellent too...

While I can't say too much for the script, NEVER SAY GOODBYE proves that Warner Bros. should have let ERROL FLYNN have his way with playing comedies more frequently. After a weak start with FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK, they decided he was better off as the stalwart hero of adventure films instead. But his performance here is a genuine delight.

And FORREST TUCKER as a big Marine lug who thinks ELEANOR PARKER has written him letters during his war service, is another big surprise. His handling of the lovable Marine is downright enjoyable without an excessive amount of mugging. He ambles through the part with authority and the sort of restraint that makes the part just believable enough.

Otherwise, the script is on the uninspired side--with little Patty Brady as a girl who wants her parents (Flynn and his ex-wife Eleanor Parker) to reunite. Naturally all of her plans make for the mishaps and misunderstandings until all ends well.

On the down side, there are a few unfunny scenes during a restaurant rendezvous, but the best part of the film is ahead once Forrest Tucker shows up. From then on, it takes on a breezier style.

Donald Woods has his usual thankless role as the suitor Eleanor is thinking of as marriage material and Lucille Watson does a nice turn as her mother who disapproves of her ex-son-in-law.

Nothing special but it passes the time pleasantly and shows Flynn did have a gift for comedy. His Bogart act is priceless.