Never Say Goodbye (1956)

Director:

Jerry Hopper

Writers:

Luigi Pirandello (play)
Bruce Manning (earlier screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 March 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

In present-day U.S., Dr. Michael Parker, a prominent surgeon, unexpectedly runs into his German-born wife whom he thought was dead...

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Surgeon | Reconciliation | Iron Curtain | Jealousy

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Dr. Michael Parker
Cornell Borchers	...	Lisa Gosting
George Sanders	...	Victor
Shelley Fabares	...	Suzy Parker
Ray Collins	...	Dr. Bailey
David Janssen	...	Dave Heller
Helen Wallace	...	Miss Tucker
John Wengraf	...	Prof. Zimmelman (as John E. Wengraf)
Raymond Greenleaf	...	Dr. Kelly Andrews
Max Showalter	...	Andy Leonard, a soldier (as Casey Adams)
John Banner	...	Oskar, the Baker
Jerry Paris	...	Joe
Else Neft	...	Frau Hempel
Terry Ann Rossworn	...	Suzy, age 2
Robert F. Simon	...	Dr. Kenneth Evans

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | West Germany:12 | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

While shooting Clint Eastwood's only scene, Rock Hudson noticed that Eastwood was wearing prop glasses. Hudson protested that because he was playing a physician, he should be wearing glasses, so the director gave Eastwood's glasses to Hudson. It is the only scene in the film where Hudson wears glasses.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

Soundtrack:

FOR THE FIRST TIME

Partly Sirk

Although widely acknowledged that parts of "Never Say Goodbye" were directed by Douglas Sirk, the credit is given to Jerry Hopper with no mention of Sirk at all. Filmographies of Sirk's work most often do not include this work.

"Never Say Goodbye" has many of the hallmarks of Sirk's work, though is much lacking in the biting social criticism that elevated his finest work. Like "Interlude" this is pure melodrama, filmed with style but ultimately forgettable.

Rock Hudson and George Sanders turn in predictably solid performances but it is Cornell Borchers an Ingrid Bergman Greta Garbo hybrid, who manages to bring a sense of truth to the more than unlikely drama, which is essential for the melodrama's success.

While obviously not in the class of the major Sirk melodrama's there is enough here of interest to followers of his work.