Kiss Me Goodbye (film)
| Kiss Me Goodbye | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Mulligan |
| Produced by |
Robert Mulligan Burt Sugarman |
| Written by | Charlie Peters |
| Based on |
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands by Bruno Barreto Eduardo Coutinho Leopoldo Serran (uncredited) |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Ralph Burns |
| Cinematography | Donald Peterman |
| Edited by | Sheldon Kahn |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8 million |
| Box office | $15,782,759 |
Kiss Me Goodbye is a 1982 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Sally Field, James Caan and Jeff Bridges. It is a remake of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos in Portuguese), a 1976 Brazilian film starring Sonia Braga based on the book of the same name by Jorge Amado.
Field was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical for her performance,[1] but Caan later said that he hated this film, as he did several films in which he appeared either just to keep working or for the money.[2] In a 1991 interview, Caan claimed that making Kiss Me Goodbye was one of the most unpleasant experiences of his life, and that as a consequence, he did not make another film for five years.
Plot summary
Kay is the widow of a Broadway showman called Jolly, who died after falling down a staircase at their home. Kay is now planning to remarry, to a stuffed-shirt named Rupert, and they live in the same house. Suddenly Jolly returns to her life as a ghost.
Seen only by her, Jolly meddles in Kay's affairs and causes her mother and others to question her state of mind. On a romantic weekend in the country together, Kay and Rupert are accompanied by Jolly, who is annoyed by Rupert's pretending to be able to see and hear him. The situation comes to a head back at the house, where a colleague of Rupert's attempts to stage an exorcism. Jolly, finally convinced that Kay will be okay without him, kisses her goodbye for good. The film ends with Kay and Rupert getting married at the wedding rehearsal rather than waiting until the next day.
Cast
- Sally Field as Kay
- James Caan as Jolly
- Jeff Bridges as Rupert
- Claire Trevor as Charlotte
- Paul Dooley as Kendall
- Stephen Elliott as Edgar
- Michael Ensign as Billy
- Mildred Natwick as Mrs. Reilly
- William Prince as Rev. Hollis
- Dorothy Fielding as Emily
- Maryedith Burrell as Mrs. Newman
- Alan Haufrect as Mr. Newman
Theme
The film's theme song, But It's a Nice Dream, was written by Peter Allen and sung by Dusty Springfield.
Reception
Vincent Canby of The New York Times was not amused: "Robert Mulligan's Kiss Me Goodbye is like a Nassau cruise ship with eight bars, seven discos, five swimming pools and no compass. It sails out of New York, turns left instead of right at the Ambrose Lightship and heads confidently toward sunny Iceland. ...Mr. Mulligan's direction perfectly matches Charlie Peters's screenplay in that both are humorless. The leads aren't great either. Miss Fields is neither Sonia Braga nor Irene Dunne and Mr. Caan, who appears to be imitating Gene Kelly, can't. Mr. Bridges behaves as if he were a family's faithful old dog, the sort of slobbering animal that will sell his soul for a pat on the head."[3]
References
- ↑ Golden Globes Official Site
- ↑ Encyclopedia of World Biography - James Caan
- ↑ Vincent Canby, "Kiss Me Goodbye" Dec. 22, 1982 http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE1D8123BF931A15751C1A964948260