Synopsis:
After the sudden death of her charismatic husband (James Caan, The Godfather), a magazine writer (Sally Field, Norma Rae) meets a nice but nerdy intellectual (Jeff Bridges, Starman). The writer and her new hubby decide to marry, but her husband’s ghost is determined to ruin their plans.
Reaction & Thoughts:
“… having a conversation with my dead husband happens to upset me a little bit!”
Directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird) from a script by Charlie Peters (Blame it on Rio), Kiss Me Goodbye is an Americanized and sanitized remake of the popular Brazilian sex farce Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976).
While the 1976 movie was eager to push the boundaries of mainstream cinema, Kiss Me Goodbye operates comfortably within the parameters of a traditional Hollywood romantic comedy. It’s retro — not necessarily a bad thing — in every possible way. It almost feels as if you are watching an old Ernst Lubitsch comedy.
Kiss Me Goodbye suffers, however, from filmmaker Mulligan’s leaden direction and writer Peters’s unfocused script. What is this movie about? I really don’t know. The film reshapes the original material into something that lacks purpose, and, more importantly, a heart. I thought the movie missed a truly great opportunity to say something meaningful about baby boomers’ attitudes towards romance and sex.
Stars James Caan, Sally Field, Jeff Bridges try hard to keep the movie afloat to no avail. Caan allegedly called it “the worst experience of my career,” but his contempt for the project doesn’t show up on the screen. He is charming as Field’s deceased husband. Fields and Bridges are very appealing s well. But the combined strengths of three actors can’t save this misguided, poorly constructed romantic fantasy.
The fine supporting cast includes Paul Dooley (Breaking Away) as Bridges’s co-worker and Mildred Natwick (The Quiet Man and Barefoot in the Park) as a businesswoman. Oscar-winning actor Claire Trevor (Key Largo and The High and the Mighty), in her final screen role, plays Field’s domineering mother. Look closely for little Barret Oliver (Cocoon and The Neverending Story) in a small role.
Conclusions & Final Thoughts:
Kiss Me Goodbye plays it safe, and the end result is something that doesn’t amount to much — it’s nowhere near as satisfying as Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. It’s a glossy and sometimes amusing comedy that fails on many levels. And yet after all these complaints, I find myself thinking, “flaws and all, this is still better than most recent rom-coms.” Go figure! Color, 101 minutes, Rated PG.
Theatrical Trailer:
Diary of A Movie Maniac 
I enjoyed it too. Now, I want to watch the British version after reading your post😊
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I vaguely remember this. Sounds like Spielberg’s ‘Always’. Sentimental and lacking verisimilitude in the plot while liking the cast simultaneously.
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This movie charmed me first time round, next time (and years later) found Caan’s character super irritating…
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I’m assuming that they were trying to imitate a ’40s rom-com. My mistake was to watch the original Brazilian movie because this remake is dull by comparison.
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I read the book years ago on the strength of the remake. It’s a shame as it has so many Oscar calibre acting talents in it, too.
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