Always Goodbye

A remake of the 1933 film Gallant Lady, directed by Gregory La Cava, starring Ann Harding and Clive Brook. Somebody must have thought that the work needed an upgrade, with bigger stars, such as Barbara Stanwick and Herbert Marshall. Directed by Sidney Lanfield, this new version has everything to be a success: a good cast, a trip to Paris, the glamour of American and Parisian fashion. But it continues to be a melodrama about maternal love and how a mother sacrifices everything to be with her child.

It is curious to see Barbara Stanwick, an actress who has forever been associated with femme fatale and male manipulator roles, playing a loving mother, fighting for her son's love.

Too melodramatic for my taste, it can nevertheless be enjoyed by many, for precisely the same reasons.

Herbert Marshall (HM) is one of my all-time favorite male actors. Barbara Stanwyck (BS) is one of the grand ladies of the golden age of the movies. The dashing Romero overdoes it a bit praising the beauty of every woman he sees and declaring his love to her, but with a little humor you can also accept him, not least because he correctly senses that little Roddy is the real competition for BS's heart, and he is understandably impatient and willing to sideline the kid.

BS plays the field, getting all manner of attention and rich gifts, even a well paying job, but does not appear to go to bed with any of her many suitors - I guess in 1938 that would have not been permitted by the Hays Commission or society's prevailing moral code.

In steps the little boy that BS gave away for adoption at birth and he is just so syrupy that I would gladly spend another night changing my crying children's nappies rather than watch such an excessively cute infant (no wonder Jessica, played by Lynn Bari, wants to flick him off so she can go gold-digging!)

Yet, he holds the key to the Oedipus complex element in this film: BS ditches the man she admits she truly loves (Marshall) to marry Mr. Marshall (Ian Hunter), the fellow who adopted her son. Quite a quid pro quo, in psychiatric context you might say that she actually marries her own son!

You can only wonder how long it will take Mr. Marshall to work out that her heart and mind belong to little Roddy. Seeing BS's reluctance to be bedded by her many attractive suitors, I doubt Mr. Marshall took long to figure it at all - and a divorce would suit Margot (BS) to a T: she'd get her son and half of fabulously rich hubby's wealth to boot!

So you have the makings of a film noir with a happy open ending and a femme who might or not become fatale, but certainly is a mother to reckon with!

Honest opinion? Both HM and BS featured in far more interesting flicks than ALWAYS GOODBYE.

This movie is clearly one you must suspend all sense of disbelief in order to enjoy it. This isn't saying it's a bad film....I actually liked it. But it has a plot that certainly is far-fetched!

When the film begins, Margot (Barbara Stanwyck) is waiting for her fiancé to arrive at the marriage license bureau. However, as she's waiting he's killed in a traffic accident right in front of her!!! To make things worse, she's pregnant*! So you next see her about to kill herself when she is caught by Jim (Herbert Marshall) and he takes her under his wing and gets her back on her feet. He also helps her find a nice adoptive couple when her baby arrives months later. But although Jim is marvelous, he has a real wandering spirit and is sometimes gone for years on his sea travels.

In the meantime, while Jim is off on one of his voyages, Margot gets a job with a fashion studio and her life is really going well. In fact, soon a crazy Count, Gino (Caesar Romero), is chasing her and proposing marriage. He's a nice guy...just a bit full of himself.

Soon after, she sees an adorable kid in a hotel and realizes this boy is her biological son she gave up years ago! So, when she learns he's going on a cruise, she arranges to go on the same ship and soon the two become inseparable. But there is a huge problem-- the boy's mother has died and the woman his father (Ian Hunter) wants to marry is just awful and cares nothing for the boy....Margot's baby! So what's she to do and who is she to marry when THREE guys all pop the question?!

Thi is an enjoyable film mostly because although far-fetched, the acting is quite good and the story engaging. Well worth seeing, though it is one of Stanwyck's lesser-known films.

The thirties were a good time for melodrama,par excellence the female movie.In almost all the great melodramas of the era "Imitation of life" and " Only Yesterday" by Stahl or "Mannequin" by Borzage ,the woman realizes she's through with love and she becomes generally a brilliant business woman,be it in the pancakes ,the stock exchange or the chic fashion for selfish ladies who do not think twice when it comes to sending their soon-to-be adoptive child to a military school.

Routine situation in melodrama:Stanwyck's fiancé got run over and she is pregnant by him.In those ancient times,the only solution was to find a family where the child would be fine .But some fine day ,in old France,the mother meets again his little boy.Barbara Stanwyck gives a fine sensitive (and a bit mischievous:the way she gets rid of Jessica is delightful)portrayal .In the end, somehow or other, woman must be prepared to sacrifice something.That's the golden rule of melodrama.

Like this?try these

"The old maid " Edmund Goulding 1939

"To each his own" Mitchell Leisen 1946

It's a touching tale that begins with a tragedy and the harsh realities of life in which Margo, played by Barbara Stanwyck, has to give up her child. Life goes on and she finds fulfilment in a career and a new love but there are some unexpected twists and turns ahead for her.

I'm so pleased to discover this movie; didn't know about it until today and it's a real treat to follow the careers of these stars. Ian Hunter was just out of his King Richard role in "The Adventures of Robin Hood," and shortly to make "The Sisters" and "The Little Princess." For a change he's been given a more prominent part to play here, which is nice as I considered him quite a good actor not given enough opportunities to 'shine' in dramatic roles.

One sees a younger Herbert Marshall before several great roles in the years ahead, always with that fine sounding, quality voice so memorable in many films, particularly in "The Razor's Edge." A very young Cesar Romero is amusing as the Count (not sure if he really is one though) and never hesitates to charm any woman within two feet of him! It keeps him rather busy, flitting from flower to flower, but such are his ways. He also has a chance to demonstrate his beautiful dancing skills as he was a professional early on in his career. Ms Stanwyck never seems to change much over the years in her beauty and acting talent.

This is a very human drama that time does not alter. I'd like to buy the video one day if ever it's available.