Never Let Me Go

Clark Gable and Gene Tierney are teamed in "Never Let Me Go," a 1953 film.

An American news writer, Philip Sutherland, (Gable) falls in love with a beautiful ballerina Marya, (Tierney), but she isn't allowed to leave Russia with him, despite being given an exit visa.

A desperate Gable devises a plan to smuggle her out. British star Kenneth More plays a friend, Steve, who helps him, and Richard Haydn and Belita play another couple in similar circumstances.

Gable went through a tough time post-war - he returned from the service a widower, in the shadow of Rhett Butler, and well into his forties, older than many of the leading men who had gone into the service.

Men his age had stayed home. Also, MGM hadn't been sitting around waiting - they had new stars. His immediate films post-war aren't memorable.

"Never Let Me Go" is a good romance, however, and a good watch. Gene Tierney is beautiful, if not very Russian, and Gable is earnest and sympathetic as a tough guy who will do anything to reunite with his wife. Thanks to some good acting, one feels invested in these characters.

You have to give it to Gable - his first credited film was in 1931, and when his last film, The Misfits, was released in 1961, he was still a huge star. Despite some so-so movies, he never lost his appeal. "Never Let Me Go" is better than a lot of films MGM gave him during this period.

An odd film but one that is surprisingly watchable and provides an interesting insight into the early stages of the Cold War. The film conveys the menace of the era and the grim, cold and hate filled place that the Soviet Union always was. Indeed from what we now know, one may even regard the film as being soft on the Communists, as the two Russian women in the film who take western husbands would quite likely have been taken off to labour camps (and 90% likely to have been killed therefore) by Stalin's secret police rather than just denied the chance to leave the country.

Some of the acting leaves a little to be desired and Clark Gable particularly seems like he is being forced into a part and a budget that was several sizes too small for him, but nevertheless a worthy and reasonably intelligent effort.

The Anglo-American angle in the film is one I always enjoy, it is always good to see the Brits and the Americans getting together!

Sometimes there's a screen couple that's so adorable and looks so happy together, they make you wish they were married offscreen as well. Then, whenever we see either of them in another movie with a different costar, it's almost as if they're being unfaithful. For me, I don't wish Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh were married; it's Clark Gable and Gene Tierney. I've never seen him give such a tender performance or look at another costar with such love - not even Jean Harlow!

Clark stars in this romantic drama as an American journalist stuck in post-war Russia. He's been pursuing the beautiful ballerina Gene Tierney, but up until recently she hasn't given him the time of day. Now, she's learned enough English to say she loves him and that she's agreed to marry him. The only glitch in the newlyweds' happiness is leaving the country. Clark wants to bring Gene back to America, but the Russian government isn't keen to let her go. In a heartbreaking scene, government officials pretend to give both their traveling papers, only to let Clark on the plane and hold Gene back. Both restrained, they're forced apart as Clark is flown out of Russia and forbidden from returning.

Another couple, Richard Haydn and Anna Valentina, are married and also trying to leave the country. They have a baby on the way, so when they also get waylaid by the government with the same treatment, they start to panic. I always like seeing Richard Haydn in pre-Uncle Max roles, since he looks so different and has such a different energy. He's a great sidekick to Clark, but the main couple definitely steal the show. Gene Tierney is completely adorable, with her fantastic Russian accent and her ballerina training. She's never been lovelier.

I didn't really like Clark Gable during his heyday, but I certainly admired his ability to adapt to the changing acting style of the passing years. In this movie, he's no longer the fast-talking, shouting fellow from the 1930s. He speaks with his eyes, talks softly, and fits right in with the realistic style of the 1950s. And not that this is particularly relevant, but he still looks good, too! Never Let Me Go was the same year as Mogambo, but he looks far younger in this movie.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the section when Clark Gable and Richard Haydn are on the boat, the waves make them bob up and down quite a bit and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

HUAC schmaltz with an embarrassingly bad performance from Ms. Tierney whose Russian accent is one step above (or below) Boris and Natasha.

"Never Let Me Go" is truly Clark Gable's last romantic movie. It shows the hardships on how an American reporter and a Russian ballerina must endure in order to marry and leave Russia. The movie shows how the Russian government interferred with the romance. In real life, Russia would hve done worst things to stop the romance, but this is a Hollywood romantic movie in the 1950's.

Clark Gable and the beautiful Gene Tierney make a beautiful couple and you route for them to escape and live happily ever after. This is a great movie to see on a rainy day or any day. It is on video.