Goodbye Again Review – A Must Watch for Ingrid Bergman (& Anthony Perkins) Fans

We picked this 50-year-old movie on Netflix Instant Play solely on the basis of our long standing infatuation with the late Ingrid Bergman.

And, of course, we were not disappointed with Ingrid (a beautiful 46 in 1961 and playing an irresistibly beautiful 40-year-old in the movie).

Ingrid looks adorable, as gorgeous as ever.

In our considered view, women are best between 32-48.

Any younger, they are immature p*ssies. Any older, their tits start to sag. 🙁

Yes, Ingrid was an exception who looked delightful at any age.

Much as we are intoxicated with Ingrid, as we kept watching Goodbye Again (Aimez-vous Brahms in French) we also began to develop a fondness for her younger co-star Anthony Perkins for his endearing performance as a lover besotted with an older woman.

Longing for Stability

Ingrid plays Paula, a 40-year-old interior decorator in Paris with a long-time lover Roger Demarest (Yves Montand), who’s constantly unfaithful to her.

Sensitive about her age and keenly aware that she’s not getting any younger, Paula longs for stability in the relationship with Roger but finds it impossibly elusive.

An assignment to decorate the apartment of a wealthy American divorcee Mrs. Van Der Besh (Jessie Royce Landis) brings her in contact with the rich woman’s son, the 25-year-old Philip Van Der Besh (Anthony Perkins).

The young bon vivant is always nattily dressed, drives an expensive car and has loads of money to spend. He has a taste for all the good things of life and nothing but distaste for an honest day’s work.

As an old acquaintance from Long Island once told us, absence makes the heart wander. Roger is often traveling on his ‘truck’ business but more likely traveling to the countryside on dalliances with pretty babes.

At first, a lonely Paula finds Philip Van Der Besh’s attentions merely amusing but the callow youth soon wears down her resistance and manages to land in her bed.

But that’s not the end of the story. Only a momentary stop before a surprising finale.

Ingrid delivers a powerful performance as an aging woman torn between her longing for stability, her affection for Philip, her love for Roger, acute sensitivity to her age and more than a bit concerned about the world’s perception of her relationship with the younger Philip.

Was it a sign of the times (remember this is the beginning of the 60s) when relationships between older women and younger men were frowned upon?

Paula’s lament toward the end as she looks down the staircase at Philip was a bit moving but not entirely convincing:

Philip, Philip. Oh, Philip, try to understand. I’m old. I’m old. I’m old. I’m old.

After all, isn’t it always better to marry the person who loves you.

Or did Paula think that the irresponsible Philip was merely shifting from dependency on one mother to another?

A Charmer

Anthony Perkins was 29 when the movie was made but looks far younger.

In his many moods, as the besotted lover, the indifferent law firm employee, the callow rich irresponsible youth, the depressed reject and finally the expelled lover Perkins is a pleasure to watch.

With his impish smile, he worms his way into your heart effortlessly and plays the part of the spoiled careless youth to perfection.

Anthony Perkins’s adorable performance won him the Best Actor Award at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival and Anatole Litvak was nominated for the Palme d’Or (source: Wiki).

Although the movie is long at two hours, it moves along at a brisk clip.

Unlike with Bollywood movies, there are no neat endings in Goodbye Again.

The movie also leaves you perplexed as to why Paula doesn’t just dump Roger and find someone else closer to her own age.

Its questionable bits aside, your favorite blog SearchIndia.com still recommends Goodbye Again for Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Perkins.

3 Responses to "Goodbye Again Review – A Must Watch for Ingrid Bergman (& Anthony Perkins) Fans"

  1. Naveen   April 4, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Has SI seen “The Mouse That Roared” * Peter Sellers? It is a very funny movie from the 50’s. Sellers was brilliant.

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    No. Added to Netflix DVD queue just now.

    You may have seen Flawless Review – Flawed but Watchable.

    • Naveen   April 4, 2011 at 2:49 pm

      Oh yes, I read it while watching the match. I appreciate the review. Thanks.

  2. Naveen   April 4, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    SI must have seen Dr. Strangelove. If not, I highly recommend it. It is a dark comedy with Peter Sellers.

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    Will watch & review Dr. Strangelove soon.

    BTW, we do have a fairly large collection of Hindi, Tamil, English, Spanish, French, German film reviews below:

    http://www.searchindia.com/search/bollywood-movies/index2.html

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