NEVER LET ME GO
US, 1953, 94 minutes, Black and White.
Clark Gable, Gene Tierney, Richard Haydn, Belita, Bernard Miles, Kenneth More, Karel Stepanek, Theodore Bikel, Frederick Valk.
Directed by Delmer Daves.
Never Let Me Go is an old-fashioned, overstated cold war romantic drama. It was a star vehicle for Clark Gable during his last years at M.G.M. A star there in the '30s and '40s, his vehicles were rather routine until he moved away to make something of a comeback before his final film The Misfits in 1961. Gene Tierney has a smaller role as a Russian ballerina. There is interesting supporting work from Richard Haydn, Bernard Miles and Kenneth More. Direction is by Delmer Daves who made a number of action adventures, the westerns Broken Arrow, Jubal, 3.10 to Yuma, Cowboy and then the romantic dramas starting with A Summer Place and Susan Slade.
1. Entertainment value of the film? Reflection of the '50s cold war? Propaganda? Impact in the '50s? In retrospect?
2. Black and white photography, Russian settings, sea settings, America and England? Musical score?
3. The conventions of the romantic drama? The foreign correspondent, the war situation, the foreign ballerina, marriage? Hostile activity on the part of the government? The frustrations for the husband's quest for his wife? Plan to rescue her? Action melodrama and success? Popular ingredients? How well done?
4. The Russian background of the film: the atmosphere of Stalin's Russia and the emphasis on Stalin (who died in 1953, the year of the film's release)? Parades in Red Square, Russian intervention in English broadcasting, foreign correspondents and their expulsion? The collaboration with the allies during the war, the establishment of the cold war and the uneasy peace? The ideology of communism? The point made about the ballerina going to America and becoming either a bad American or a bad communist? These attitudes in retrospect and with the experience of subsequent decades?
5. Clark Gable's conventional hero, war correspondent, views of the Russians, love for Maria, communication with her, the marriage and the honeymoon? Their friends? The battle for the passport? Her being restrained, Philip's frustration, America, England? The help of the English sailor? The collaboration with Steve in Moscow? The sailing, the messages, the beach party, the ballet, Philip having to act as a Russian doctor, the finale and the betrayal by the ballerina, final chase and happy ending? A conventional Gable portrait?
6. Gene Tierney as the Russian ballerina, her learning English, love for Philip, the honeymoon, her being restrained, her dancing and the final rescue?
7. The English B.B.C. commentator and the censorship, his broadcasts, his helping with messages, the visit to Stockholm? The English friend and his Russian wife and the birth of the child, his being deported? His decision to go with Philip? The drinking party and the humorous rivalry with the Russians? The English seaman and the sequence of him caulking? Discussions with Philip, warnings, decisions to help, help during the voyage? The final heroics?
8. The picture of the Russians, the officials and their duplicity, the Russian sailor and the drinking rivalry? The officials at the end? The Russian ballerina and her decision to betray Maria?
9. The ballet sequences and their attractiveness? The romantic interludes? The political background? Personal drama? A satisfying entertainment blend of these ingredients?
