Goodbye Again

Francoise Sagan apparently wrote about people and personalities with whom she was familiar and had a talent for depicting them very well. It always seemed to be about upper class, shallow, and confused types, revolving on a no-win merry-go-round.

There are certainly are such people, and their relationships are as much worthy of consideration, empathy and sympathy as anyone's. The main trio in "Goodbye Again" are very much these prototypes: confused, bored and trapped. Is it any wonder they just can't seem to get their lives together?

For me, this is a sad film, given superlative treatment in all departments. Brahms' rich melodies are embroidered by George Auric's sensitive original score. Armond Thirard's black and white photography is beautifully atmospheric. Samuel Taylor's screenplay is true to Sagan's original novel, and Anatol Litvak's direction wraps everything up neatly.

The cast can't be bettered: the combined star-power trio of Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins and Yves Montand is perfect, and these three bring great pathos to the proceedings. The level of significance of these characters may be rather inconsequential in the long run--but the emotions they themselves feel are genuine. This fine acting trio embodies these roles and the result is a most engrossing two hours.

I've only just read the other comments on this beautiful film. I first saw it on its release in 1961 - and nearly spent a whole week of evenings at the cinema.I was 16 I'd become a fan of Ingrid Bergman two years before this, on seeing her in "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, which was her best film [in my opinion!]. Also then saw and loved "Indiscreet", but was bowled over by her next film -"Goodbye Again". I wish they had kept the original French title: "Aimez-Vous Brahms?". It evokes the atmosphere and meaning of the film and you don't have to be fluent in French to understand it - so why change it? Once again, Ingrid hardly seemed to be acting - she just swept you along with her character, Paula. Some people said that the film didn't work because Ingrid was 45 at the time, supposed to be 40 and looked younger. True! Her make-up artist, John O'Gorman, had to put in a suggestion of dark circles under her eyes and lines on her neck, in order to make her seem 40! All through the film I felt so much for the character of Philip [Tony Perkins], because you could understand why he fell totally in love with Ingrid . You also wondered if Roger [Yves Montand] was out of his mind, drifting around from girl to girl, when he had the most beautiful woman in the world. This was another reason why some people thought the story didn't work. But I don't care - I'll always love it! Ingrid never acts, she just IS her characters, and she always cries "for real". That's why there has never been anyone like her and there never will be. This film should be issued on DVD [as I have already suggested for "A Walk in the Spring Rain" ]. Owning the video is all right, but it deserves to be preserved for future generations on DVD, so that they can see what a GOOD film really is!!!! Mary

Wow! what a film! I cannot believe I never saw this movie until this evening.

Great performances by all. The script is perfect in my opinion. The cinematography by Armand Thirard is simply beautiful; giving a real Parisian early 60's Be-Bop nuance. Auric's film score is great. Ingrid is in excellent acting form & stunning. Yves plays his character very close to the vest which is exactly how this kind of personality needs to be played. Diahann Carroll is so beautiful & cool as the nightclub singer. Jessie Royce Landis is wonderful as Perkins' mother. I've only seen Anthony Perkins in 3 other films & he in my opinion is always excellent. He was obviously a very intuitive actor & so very gorgeous & I think his incredible looks may have hampered others from seeing his incredible acting talents.

What else can I say without giving away this magnificent story? A must see for all young girls. The ending scene is so moving I couldn't even cry although I understand why so many other viewers wrote that this is a movie where you need to have plenty of tissues handy. It was a shocking film for me to watch on so many levels because it offered exactly what you expected & then it didn't - too true to life in a most poignant way. Heart wrenching - a definite must see.

Ingrid Bergman's excellent performance is what makes this film. She sincerely deals with the problem of September love; I've never seen her more beautiful or more committed. Anthony Perkins as the young spoiled mama's boy is excellent, and the scenes with the two of them are very believable. (It's called acting) Yves Montand is terrible---he's longing to be speaking in French. The scene at the end between Bergman & Perkins from the top of the stairs could move a stone to tears. Only Bergman could convincingly pull off a perfect soap opera--there will never be anyone like her.

High class soap opera with Ingrid, stylishly dressed and becomingly coiffured, looking wonderful. She of course gives the best performance with Anthony Perkins a close second. The main problem is that her longing for Yves Montand, a stolid lout, is puzzling. In a sign of how the times have changed the enchanting beautiful Ingrid, who states that she is forty, considers herself old and seems desperately afraid of being alone and is willing to settle for crumbs from a man whom she is clearly to good for. Still as these sort of pictures go this is a fine diversion, competently directed with handsome black and white photography. Jessie Royce Landis is fun in a small part as Tony's mother.