Kiss Me Goodbye (1982)

Take a frothy, sexy Brazilian comedy, flatten it, neuter it, remove the laughs and you've got Kiss Me Goodbye a retro adaptation of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands directed by Robert Mulligan, fondly remembered for To Kill a Mockingbird(1962) and Summer of '42(1971), but who is merely marking time with this film, and wasting ours. Kiss Me Goodbye is actually less sophisticated and amusing than Topper(1937) and less entertaining than The Ghost and Mr Chicken(1966). It's Casper the Friendly Ghost meets Blithe Spirit. As a ghost, James Caan's performance consists of a smirk and a fedora while chemistry-free couple Sally Feild and Jeff Bridges are frantic rather than funny in that tired tradition of having characters talk to a someone only they, and the audience, can see. It's all pretty pointless and completely unfunny. Kiss it goodbye!

This picture went nowhere when it was released in 1982, going almost immediately to cable, mostly because it didn't match the Brazilian movie on which it's based. But seen on its own now, after more than twenty years, it's a well made, well written and played comedy for adults, especially when compared to the stupidly vulgar and juvenile "comedies" produced now. It does descend to the "sitcom" level now and again (underlined by Ralph Burns' incidental score, which "mickey mouses" every move, in the manner of 40s comedies) but still, it has many sweet and touching moments.The cast is exceptional, with everyone well-cast for their roles. The choice that I've only recently "gotten" is Claire Trevor as Sally Field's character's mother. Trevor made a career of playing "dames" (as in her brilliant showing as Edward G. Robinson's alcoholic moll in "Key Largo"), and I never got why SHE was chosen to play the society-matron mother in this, a "comeback" role for her. And why should she "adore" the character Kay's first husband so much, a womanizing dancer/choreographer, more than the stalwart, upper middle class WASP-Y scientist, played with quiet amusement by Jeff Bridges, whom Kay has chosen as her second husband, perhaps a more "appropriate" choice? But one telling line hints at something: Bridges character's comment about a hat the mother is wearing in one scene: "Are batteries included?" Perhaps the mother isn't quite what she seems, not from a "society" family but an actress who married into money? Someone who ALMOST "gets" it, the way to dress and talk and behave, but not quite... Now THAT makes sense for the choice of Trevor for the role. But this is the only hint in the writing. To me this is an intriguing explanation.

The Brazilian film "Dona Flor and her Two Husbands" was the model for this Sally Field vehicle. As directed by Robert Mulligan, it's mildly funny, but nothing to brag about when compared with the original movie directed by Bruno Barreto. Better yet, why not pick up the immensely funny Jorge Amado novel? If memory serves me right, it was translated from the Portuguese by Harriet de Onis and it's a delight to read.In this version, young Kay, now happily engaged to Rupert, wants to fix the townhouse where she lived with Jolly, her late husband, in which this theater genius has died. Well, little prepares her for the sudden appearance of the dead man.Jolly comes at the most inappropriate times; when she's in the sack, especially. It's enough to drive the would-be-hunk husband to think twice about what he's going to get into. Ruppert loves Kay, but he would like her to exorcise the impish Jolly.Sally Field is at her perkiest in the film. James Caan does a fantastic job as the dead Jolly. Jeff Bridges is perfectly befuddled as Rupert, the man who can't comprehend what's going on. Claire Trevor makes an elegant Charlotte, who is Kay's mother and can't seem to see eye to eye to her future son-in-law. Paul Dooley, Mildred Natwick, William Prince, contribute to make the movie better than what it is.On the other hand, the much superior Brazilian film had an edge and an underlying naughtiness that this Hollywood product doesn't have. The American version is a pale reminder of what happens when a better film is remade without the wit, elegance and humor of the movie it's trying to imitate. Also, Bruno Barreto's film had the advantage of having the sultry Sonia Braga in the title role and great star turns by Jose Wilker and Mauro Mendonca. See the video or the DVD version of this film and you'll be amazed of what this film should have looked like.

I absolutely adored this movie! I thought the acting was first rate as was the script. Sally Field is adorable as a widow who's about to remarry. No one but James Caan could have pulled off the role of Jolly as he did. He's entertaining, light-hearted, and gets his point across in a rather different way. This movie is one of my all time favorites. I especially love the way Jolly helps Kay to get hold of her life and move on. Very entertaining! Worth the watch.