GOODBYE AGAIN
US, 1961, 119 minutes, Black and white.
Ingrid Bergman, Yves Montand, Anthony Perkins, Diahann Carroll, Jessie Royce Landis, Michelle Mercier.
Directed by Anatole Litvak.
Goodbye Again is a lavish soap opera, with strong stars, based on a novel, Do You Like Brahms, by Francois Sagan (author of Bonjour Tristesse, filmed several years earlier with David Niven, Deborah Kerr and Jean Seberg). The film has striking black and white images of affluent Parisian life around 1960. It also includes a Brahms score as well as contemporary music and some jazz. Diahann Carroll appears as a lounge singer. The film reflects the growing frankness-in films at the beginning of the 60s, franker talk about sex, divorce, relationships, an older woman with a younger man. Ingrid Bergman excels at this kind of role. Yves Montand play his usual playboy self and Anthony Perkins is once again a tormented young man. In the supporting cast, Jessie Royce Landis does yet another variation on her daffy mother as she did in To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest. Direction is by Anatole Litvak, a director of some striking melodramas at Warner Bros in the 30s and 40s including The Sisters, All This and Heaven Too, The Snake Pit.
1. Entertaining romantic melodrama? Settings, issues, stars?
2. The black and white photography, Paris settings, the world of the affluent, homes, restaurants, the streets of Paris? The musical score, the Brahms’s themes? background music, contemporary music, jazz?
3. The title and relationships and broken relationships? The original title of the novel: Do You Like Brahms?
4. The portrait of Paula and Ingrid Bergman's screen presence and style? Her age, background, divorce, need for love? The five years relationship with Roger? At home, her maid, her impatience? Her disappointment with Roger - and his relationships with bar girls? Her work, meeting the owner of the house and the interplay of the interview? Meeting Philip and his performing? The credibility. of the attraction? Roger's absences and their affect on her? Philip and his courting her, performing, playful? The outings, the restaurant, the dancing? The sexual liaison, at the apartment? The effect on her, on him?. Clashes? Hit going to England? Her letter, his return during the meal? The edge with Roger? His going away, her separation? The affair with Philip, dancing in the restaurant, her meeting Roger again? Her decisions, their basis, letting Philip go and the scenes together, her honesty? Her exasperation at his youthfulness, lack of responsibility? Her finally committing herself to Roger?
5. Roger, the man about town, business? Divorced? Relationship with Paula, going away, business, disappointing her? The playboy with the range of women (and their same name)? His dishonesty with Paula, honesty? Going to the dinner after she had decorated the apartment? His jealousy of Philip? Paula wanting to go with him and his refusal? His being on his own, the collage of his driving and moping? The encountering the restaurant and dancing? The final decision - the possibility of a future with Paul?
6. Philip, in Paris, age, youthfulness, irresponsibility, wealth? His performances and roles for Paula? The attraction. pursuing her, driving her home, taking her out, the meals, the concert, Brahms? His awkwardness? The affair? Going to London, the letter, the return during the meal? A future with Paula? His reaction to her indecision? The clashes with Roger? His having to face reality? Facing the future?
7. His mother, her daffiness, employing Paula, the conditions? A performance and her being shrewd, money, knowing her son, his relationships? The meal and her guests, talking with Roger? Talking honestly with Paula and Paula's resistance?
8. The employer, his attitude towards Philip, the firm, study, law, the case in London and Philip's performance? Philip and his easy relationship with the office secretary?
9. Roger's women, their ambitions, promiscuity, relationships, live and let live attitudes?
10. The films offering a picture of middle-aged people, relationship and commitment failures in relationships, dalliance, affairs, hopes?
