FOREVER DARLING

US, 1956, 96 minutes, Colour.
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, James Mason, Louis Calhern.
Directed by Alexander Hall.

Forever Darling is a comedy which relied on its first release for success with teaming of Lucile Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz. They were well known for their I Love Lucy television programmes. In 1954 the appeared in the very funny comedy, The Long Long Trailer. In this film they are attempting to cap its success. However the film is not a great a comedy as The Long Long Trailer. It tells of a husband and wife who are helped by an angel in the form of James Mason. Perhaps this indicates the tone and treatment. It is a humorous variation on domestic comedy
of the 50s.

1. The tone and meaning of the title? The theme and irony of marriage? How amusingly illustrated?

2. How good an example of American domestic comedy was this? As an example from the fifties? The type of dialogue, situations and characters?

3. The importance of the use of colour, scenery, middle class houses and styles? The impact on the average audience?

4. The importance of having Lucille Ball and audience response to them as characters, as types? The importance of having James Mason as the Angel?

5. Comment on the development of the opening. The presentation of the marriage, the comments of the characters, the time changes, the marriage going down hill? accurate a social satire?

6. How well observed was modern marriage? The home, jobs, friends, the father-in-law? The insight into modern marriage, the dangers for modern marriages?

7. How attractive is Lucille Ball as a heroine? How real, how comic? As a character, how well was she explored? Her blindness in the marriage, her not wanting to give, her change of heart with the angel, her trying to co-operate with Larry in the rebuilding of the marriage? How genuine?

8. How average was Larry as a husband, the getting used to the marriage, not liking his wife's friends, letting the job predominate? His letting his wife be interested in his work? The building up of the marriage?

9. Could this film be seen as the presentation of an average couple, marriage? Why?

10. The importance of the angel? The humour of the fantasy? The explorations of the angel? The fact that he was seen as James Mason? The satire on Hollywood heroes, angels, in women’s dreams? As the dream angel of the husband of the fifties? How sensible the advice and wisdom of the angel? His role of guarding? The fact that at the end he merged with Larry? The point and moral behind this?

11. How enjoyable is gentle satire in such comedy? The impact when the film was first released? Now, in terms of enjoyment, identification, message?