Never Say Goodbye

Never Say Goodbye was one of three films Errol Flynn did for Warner Brothers where apparently Jack Warner tried to change his action hero image somewhat and broaden his appeal. No doubt at the behest of Flynn himself who was complaining to Jack Warner the same way Tyrone Power was doing over at 20th Century Fox with Darryl Zanuck.

Errol's a little less than heroic here, just your average divorced father who happens to be a commercial artist. He and Eleanor Parker have been divorced a couple of years now, but daughter Patti Brady so wants them back together again, especially as a Christmas wish.

Errol's willing enough, but he's got some stiff competition in the persons of Donald Woods who is courting Parker and Marine Forrest Tucker who Brady's been writing to. On the imbecilic instructions of her dear old dad who knows what Marines like, she sends a picture of Mommy in a bathing suit. Of course that piques Tucker's interest quite a bit. Errol himself has model Peggy Knudsen interested in him, but she's not going to wait around forever.

Add to this scene stealing veterans like Lucille Watson as Parker's mother and restaurateur S.Z. Sakall and you've got the makings of a nice family type picture, the kind that Errol Flynn so rarely made in his career. Flynn does fine in the part, but for comedy he's far better in Footsteps In The Dark as the millionaire/mystery writer. Flynn's first effort at comedy was The Perfect Specimen done early in his career with Joan Blondell. I've not seen that one, I do so wish TCM would run it.

Never Say Goodbye neither changed Flynn's image with the movie-going public nor did it chart any new directions for him. But it's a pleasant enough comedy diversion. Note that 'imitation' of another Warner Brothers star towards the end.