FORGET ME NOT/ FOREVER YOURS
UK, 1936, 73 minutes, Black and white.
Beniamino Gigli, Joan Gardner, Ivan Brandt, Jeanne Stuart, Richard Gofe.
Directed by Zoltan Korda.
Forget Me Not/ Forever Yours is a brief romantic drama of the mid 1930s, produced by London Films and Sir Alexander Korda, directed by his brother, Zoltan Korda. The leading lady, Joan Gardner, was married to Zoltan Korda, a long marriage.
The first part of the film is a shipboard romance, one of the pursers, Hugh, being involved with a haughty married woman but attracted to a young secretary, Helen. She falls in love with him but the married woman gossips and poisons Helen’s mind about the purser’s being fickle. The young woman rejects him. Part of the romance had been listening to an Italian love song about forgetting and remembering.
In New York, Helen is invited to a concert to hear Enzo, played by Opera Beniamino Gigle, considered the successor of Caruso, criticised in the 1930s because of the patronage of Mussolini and Hitler, but later been vindicated. Besides his opera career, he appeared in a number of films.
The second part of the film is Enzo proposing to Helen and her accepting, looking after his little boy, travelling the world listening to him singing. Eventually, Hugh meets her again, proposes that she leaves with him, she is in conflict, but ultimately does the right thing.
Pleasing in itself and a curiosity item for audiences to see and hear Gigli.
1. Romantic drama, shipboard romance, opera, family?
2. The titles, as applied to Helen and Hugh?
3. British production, black-and-white photography, the ship, New York, apartments, the collage of opera houses throughout the world?
4. The world of opera, the songs, especially the title song? The operatic excerpts as well O Sole Mio?
5. The reputation of Beniamino Gigli, the successor of Caruso, his personal background in the 1930s, Mussolini and Hitler? His vindication? His opera career? His film career?
6. The first part of the film, Helen, her work as a secretary, the encounter with Hugh, falling in love? Listening to the song and its recurring throughout the film? Hugh and his role on the ship, Olga and her demands? Her jealousy of Helen, his time with Helen? Olga’s gossip, poisoning Helen’s mind? Helen rejecting Hugh?
7. Helen, an ordinary British woman, secretary and successful, her boss? The return to England?
8. The boss taking her to the concert, her love for Enzo’s music? His performance, his moodiness, seeing Helen in the front row, asking the assistant to bring her – and his
bringing the wrong woman?
9. The boy and corridor, Helen and her talking with him, his toy car, talking about his father? Enzo’s return, Helen surprised? Their talking, his situation, widower, caring for the boy?
10. Enzo’s proposal, Helen remembering Hugh? Her acceptance, the years passing, her following her husband around the world, listening to the operas and his singing? Her sense of duty? Her devotion to Enzo, but not love? The boy?
11. Hugh meeting her again? Pressing his case? The effect on Helen? Hugh leaving for Australia, urging her to go to the station, Olga aware of this, sending the message to Enzo anonymously?
12. The effect on Helen, not at the Opera and Enzo’s concern, the late arrival, her leaving? Helen’s dream and imagining leaving with Hugh? Enzo in his grief, going home, with his son? Helen’s return?
13. Romantic melodrama – with music?
