Eternally Yours

Watching a beat up copy on Tubi in 2022.... Wonder if anyone else noticed at the start of the opening credits the title reading '"Movies for Television"? Television was in it's earliest stage then and with World's Fair promising so many future advancements, this seemed to be a nice tie-in at the time.

Of course, the impeccable David Niven and lovely Loretta Young carry this film along...but Eve Arden adds fun to the production. Of course, to me, this is the same person nearly unchanged in her real TV program "Our Miss Brooks" which I grew up watching as a child!

And, it's interesting to see a very young Broderick Crawford playing a nice guy early in his career.

I saw this on an AMC DVD. It was not a very good print. Most scenes looked somewhat muddy. I hope someone releases a better print someday.

There is a lot of talent in bit parts here: Billie Burke, Eve Arden, Hugh Herbert, Zasu Pitts, and Broderick Crawford each contribute a few minutes of pleasantness.

I wasn't all that impressed with Loretta Young. She was fine, but I didn't see anything special that she brought to her role. On the other hand, David Niven was quite impressive. He brought just the right tone of bravado and cool to his part of a dare devil magician.

James Bond writer, Ian Flemming, wanted David Niven to play James Bond. You can see why from this film. He is handsome and suave in the Cary Grant manner, but he's also sly and intense. When he does a handcuffed falling out of a plane stunt, one really feels his fright and nervousness.

Niven did end up playing James Bond in the spoof "Casino Royale" (1967), but by that time he was about ten years too old for the part.

The movie jumps a bit. It looks like they edited out a number of scenes. Still, it is fast paced, clever and surprising. I recommend it, but I hope they come out with a better print.

Wealthy and beautiful Loretta Young is all set to marry Broderick Crawford and settle down to a normal life, but for a lark she takes her gang of socialite friends to see the Great Arturo, the magician in town. Next thing you know, she's ditched her family and friends, married Arturo, and joined his traveling magic act.

David Niven is that charming showman Arturo and his bride quickly realizes that he's not only a showman but a thrill seeker--and a party animal, as well. One morning Young and Niven are both surprised to read in the paper that he has drunkenly promised to jump out of an airplane in handcuffs.

Niven thinks, I can't disappoint my audience! I have to do it even if it kills me! Young thinks, Wouldn't it be sweet to have a nice quiet home in the country? Therein lies the conflict that, unfortunately, drags on for the rest of the picture.

Young is fine as the earnest young woman in love with a disaster waiting to happen. And Niven is quite convincing as the out-of-control daredevil who just can't stop himself. However, the question is - What exactly do they see in each other? The characters just don't seem to have any reason to be together.

The strong supporting cast includes Billie Burke, Ray Walburn, Zasu Pitts, and C. Aubrey Smith. Hugh Herbert is very good as Niven's assistant.

It's a handsome production but while the stars do look good it's too bad that neither of their characters seems very bright.

If there was ever one thing every one could agree about David Niven is he had no small amount of debonair charm. It got him through many a film when the role required little else. I would say that is the case in Eternally Yours.

Loretta Young, granddaughter of Episcopalian minister C. Aubrey Smith, meets and falls in love with a magician. That would be David Niven. But he's more than a magician, he's the current Houdini wannabe who has skill as a hypnotist and an escape artist.

Niven likes the life of a traveling entertainer, but Loretta wants to settle down with a home. After a death defying leap from a plane when he's handcuffed behind him, Young can't deal with the tension any more and she leaves him. He finds he can't go on without her, but she ups and divorces him and marries Broderick Crawford.

Of course the rest of the film is about Niven winning Young back in the best tradition of Cary Grant who may very well have been offered this part before Niven. Loretta is certainly worth winning back. I'm betting that Ralph Bellamy turned down the Ralph Bellamy part so Broderick Crawford was cast. Niven enjoys tweaking him in this film, but I'm not sure why unlike Bellamy who was usually a well meaning goof, Crawford didn't just punch him out.

The climax takes place at the 1939 World's Fair and you might want to see Eternally Yours for some nostalgia footage of that event. But it is a film that really does get by on the charm of its leads.

Eternally Yours is a lacklustre romantic comedy. Despite the charms of David Niven, his character is not a nice person

Niven plays Tony, a magician and hypnotist known as the The Great Arturo. He falls immediately in love with Anita (Loretta Young.)

Tony finds fame and fortune with a death-defying act where he jumps out of a plane in handcuffs. He needs to free himself in time to activate the parachute.

With a well paid international tour beckoning. Anita wants something more domesticated, a dream home rather than travel from place to place. She leaves him and divorces him.

Only Tony can never get over Anita despite his own infidelities. While Anita marries Don (Broderick Crawford) her old fiance.

However fate brings Tony and Anita together again. This time Tony wants to win her back for good.

The film suffers from shallow selfish characters.