'Til We Meet Again

George Brent and Merle Oberon star as doomed lovers in "'Til We Meet Again," also starring Geraldine Fitzgerald, Binnie Barnes, Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh. This film is a remake of the beautiful "One Way Passage" starring William Powell and Kay Francis. Some of the scenes and dialogue have been kept exactly, new scenes and characters have been added, and one relationship has changed in this version. Frank McHugh reprises his role as a petty crook, now named Rockingham.

But it's the same story, told in a much more dramatic fashion than "One Way Passage" which somehow kept its whimsy though it is the tale of two people who are going to die - one by the hangman's noose and the other from heart disease - who fall in love as they're traveling from Hong Kong to San Francisco by ship. Neither knows the fate awaiting the other. Hardesty (Brent) is being brought back to the states by a tough detective (O'Brien) who also has a heart. He's attracted to a Countess (Barnes), who is a phony and after the money of a wealthy Brit (Eric Blore). In this film, it is not Rockingham who knows the Countess (Binnie Barnes) but rather Dan Hardesty (Brent), and this script has given them a past romance as well. The Countess tries her best to keep the sergeant occupied while Hardesty plans his escape, with Rockingham playing middle man.

This poignant tale is given more profound treatment both in the writing and by director Edmund Goulding. Part of the reason for this is that it was intended to be another "Dark Victory," but Bette Davis refused it. In fact, the part that Geraldine Fitzgerald plays, someone Joan (Oberon) meets and befriends aboard ship, is very similar to the role she played in "Dark Victory." George Reeves (who went on to play Superman on TV and is now the subject of a film himself) plays Fitzgerald's husband.

Brent is no William Powell, of course - his character is rougher around the edges and doesn't have the sense of humor or irony that Powell gave Hardesty. Brent, however, gives a solid, tender performance. McHugh this time around shares the comic honors with Eric Blore and therefore has less to do, and there's a lot less comedy. Binnie Barnes' Countess is less exotic than Aline McMahon's and sadder. O'Brien's Sgt. Burke is older and tougher this time around, though he's still a soft touch.

Though Kay Francis was lovely as Joan in "One Way Passage," Merle Oberon is breathtaking in beauty and frailty. For this viewer, she's the best thing about this remake. Desperate to live after she meets Dan, she savors each moment, refusing to consider the consequences of too much activity. It's a heroic, heartbreaking performance.

It was fascinating to be able to see and compare both films. Both are successful in their own way. The ending is the same in both, so expect to smile and cry at the same time. It's as uplifting as it is poignant, and no matter the treatment of the story, the message of "'Til We Meet Again" and "One Way Passage" is the same: Love is the only thing that lasts.

I watched this movie tonight. It is a well done remake. Bette Davis & Marlene Dietrich passed on the lead, so it went to Merle. She made the part of Joan her own. But...there is little to no chemistry between her and George Brent. I saw no passion between these doomed lovers. George Brent was a popular star, but his acting is so wooden; I really had a difficult time finding why she loved him so desperately. I would recommend the movie to Merle Oberon fans.

my ex was a truck driver. The night that I was watching this movie, he called just as they were arriving in Hawaii. I missed the rest of the movie and was extremely disappointed. I tried to find it again on TV and only once that I know, was it shown. I imagined scenarios for many years trying to figure out what the ending would be. I finally found a company that had access to many film archives and obtained a copy. I've only had it a week and I have already watched it 3 times. The rest of the movie was better than anything that I dreamed up. I liked the twists and turns of the plot and the ending was classic. Of course, you could always imagine that the ending was different, but I think that the way it ended enhanced the love story. True love overcomes all difficulties in the end.

George Brent stars as a murderer who has been traveling the world avoiding his execution. On his tail the whole way is the detective, played by Pat O'Brien. Once Brent is finally apprehended in China, he's taken aboard a cruise ship bound for America. There he meets Merle Oberon and they fall in love. However, they both are hiding secrets--Brent cannot bring himself to tell her he will be executed and Oberon cannot bring herself to tell him she's got a fatal heart condition. While this may sound a bit sappy and contrived, it did work reasonably well--mostly because the detective agreed to let Brent keep the secret until they docked in San Francisco.

Had I never seen ONE WAY PASSAGE, then I might have been tempted to score this picture much higher. That's because 'TIL WE MEET AGAIN is a remake of ONE WAY PASSAGE and in most every way, the original is a better picture. The original film starred William Powell and he was at his best in this film. While I always love George Brent in films, he just couldn't beat Powell's performance and so he was handicapped from the outset. The original film was also better because it was more concise, didn't rely as much on secondary characters and plots and just sparkled. Side by side, there just isn't much to merit watching 'TIL WE MEET AGAIN. The latter film adds too many plot elements and draws out the eventual parting too long. And, to top it off, create a possible loophole at the end of the film (depending on how you interpret it)--even though there is no way the lovers could have had a happy ending.

Nope...stick with the original.

Excellent and very enjoyable, 'Til We Meet Again is about an escaped prisoner and an ill woman who fall in love on a cruise ship. This movie had me figuratively grabbing for the tissues. But I won't discuss the plot so as not to spoil anything. Suffice it to say, the movie starts sweetly, and quickly becomes unexpectedly compelling and enormously satisfying -- as very few movies are.

It stars Merle Oberon and George Brent, and they are both great! I could hardly believe this was the same George Brent as his sedate character in Dark Victory.

And Merle Oberon is breathtaking. So exquisitely beautiful, and charming and delicate like porcelain. Her looks and mannerisms and innocent style and charm reminded me very much of Audrey Hepburn, and I kept wondering if Hepburn could have played the role (had she been the correct age), but I concluded Oberon was definitely the right actress.

Merle's unusual, exotic dark looks, otherworldly beauty, and rare talent and magnetism prompted me to look up more about her, and I found out she was born in India and was half Indian! Her mother was Indian. That explains her unique look and air, which sets her apart from all other Hollywood stars.

This film, like Now Voyager and Ship of Fools, and all the greatest classic love stories, has a beautiful musical love theme that carries you through the movie, whenever the two lead characters are together. 'Til We Meet Again's love theme is exquisite.

This movie is a well-made, very classy film that's enjoyable, captivating, moving, and extremely fulfilling. The characters are engaging and unforgettable, emotionally identifiable and heartfelt. I certainly recommend 'Til We Meet Again, especially if you love romances, or especially if you love classic films/dramas that are unusual and exquisite.