NEVER SAY GOODBYE

US, 1946, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Errol Flynn, Eleanor Parker, Lucile Watson, S.Z. Sakall, Forrest Tucker, Peggy Knudsen, Hattie Mc Daniel, Patti Brady.
Directed by James V. Kern.

Never Say Goodbye is a slight romantic comedy – or divorce comedy – from the immediate post-war period. The film gives an opportunity for Errol Flynn to do some comedy, sing a little, impersonate actors including Humphrey Bogart. Eleanor Parker plays his ex-wife, dominated by her mother, played by Lucile Watson. S.Z. Sakall does his usual turn and getting his words mixed up as a restaurateur. Forrest Tucker plays a marine that the daughter of Errol Flynn and Eleanor Parker (Patti Brady, a precocious performance) has corresponded with and sent her mother’s photo to him. When he turns up unexpectedly, he provides an opportunity for Eleanor Parker to taunt Errol Flynn. In the meantime there are some screwball comedy mix-ups, especially because of one of Errol Flynn’s models, played by Peggy Knudsen. Hattie McDaniel? plays the family servant. There is an emphasis on the morality of divorced husbands and wives making every effort to get back together again, especially for the sake of the children.

1. A Warner Bros romantic comedy? Screwball touches? The tone of 1946? The post-war period?

2. Black and white photography, New York, apartments and homes, restaurants? The musical score?

3. The plausibility of the plot? The ex-husband and wife? The dominating mother-in-law? The little girl spending six months with each parent? The pressures on the daughter? The possibilities of reconciliation?

4. Errol Flynn in a comic role? Phil, his love for Ellen? His clash with Mrs Hamilton? His work as an artist, the models posing? His sketches and pictures around the city? In the restaurant? The woman wanting an autograph? His dating Nancy? His wanting Ellen back? The meetings, the buying of the coats for Phillippa? The misunderstandings? The outings, the dinner and Nancy’s arrival, his trying to cover everything, with Luigi and the phone calls? The friend with the pregnant wife – and his turning up? The holiday in Connecticut, and Nancy turning up again? The friend spilling the beans? His decision to be Santa Claus, his clashes with Rex, the attorney? Becoming Santa Claus – and his deceiving the family? His other impersonations – especially Humphrey Bogart? The encounter with Wickie? His pretending to be the brother-in-law, Uncle Phil? The clashes with Wickie, Wickie and his friendship? Wickie as helping everybody to get together again? The happy ending?

5. Ellen, her love for Phil, for her daughter? The six months? Her dominating mother? Her jealousy of Nancy? Happy to go out with Phil, the dinner, the phone calls, the discovery of the truth? Clashes with Luigi? The possibility of Connecticut and her finding out the truth? Her reaction to Phil as Santa Claus? Meeting Wickie, going out, dancing, pretending that Phil was her brother-in-law? The altercation with the cabbie, Phil staying the night? Having the midnight snack with Wickie? Wickie and the discovery of the truth, helping them?

6. Flip, her age, her love for her father, for her mother? The six-month stays? Each buying the coat? Her wanting them to reconcile? Her letters to Wickie, sending her mother’s photo, Phil’s suggestion? The outings with father and mother? With Cozy? Wickie’s arrival, her happiness? Santa Claus – and Phil being Santa Claus? The reconciliation?

7. Mrs Hamilton, her looking down on Phil, engineering the divorce, dominating Ellen? Ellen defying her mother? Flip with her grandmother? The Christmas episode, her wanting Rex to marry Ellen, the misunderstandings with Santa Claus?

8. Luigi, S.Z. Sakall’s comic style, mixing up words? Coping with the visitors, the deception and the phone calls, Nancy finding him out? His collaborating with Wickie for a happy ending?

9. Wickie, his work as a marine, in the jungle, his attraction towards Ellen, friendship towards Flip? Genial, the outings, meeting Phil at the bar? Uncle Phil? Helping him at night? The discovery of the truth – the reconciliation?

10. Rex, the attorney, comic style, his escapades as Santa Claus and failure?

11. Cozy, the black maid? Hattie Mc Daniel and her performances?

12. The style of Warner Bros comedies in the mid-40s?