Charming and brutal

A different way of telling a story

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Kay (Sally Field) lost her charmer husband Broadway choreographer Jolly (James Caan) when he fell down the staircase at home. Three years later, she is finally ready to move back home. She wants to marry stiff Egypt archaeologist Rupert (Jeff Bridges). He is concerned about her past with Jolly and then his ghost shows up. Only Kay can see him and he's not satisfied with Rupert.Sally is adorably flustered. She works really hard to sell this. Jeff Bridges is in a tougher position. He has to stay adorable despite disbelieving Kay. James Caan is perfectly good as the charming cad. It does get a bit sitcom-like at times. The movie is basically sold on the three legged acting foundation. This is a remake of a Brazilian film which I have not seen.

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 light comedy brings together an interesting group of actors, young and old, for an off-beat story about a widow (Sally Field) who finds herself haunted by her late husband (James Caan), just as she is about to marry a new love interest (Jeff Bridges). The movie has a series of gags in which the dead husband keeps dropping by to surprise and annoy his surviving wife. Confusion follows for her and her new love interest, who seems somewhat possessive and thus all the more alarmed by the turn of events. The movie has the added talents of Claire Trevor as Sally Field's mother, Paul Dooley as her father, and Mildred Natwick as the owner of a bed-and-breakfast in the country where the three parties head off for a weekend encounter. The movie, directed by Robert Mulligan (Love with a Proper Stranger), is entertaining enough to pass the time on a quiet afternoon. It was great to see Claire Trevor, who won an Academy Award for Key Largo in the 1940's. I didn't know she was making films this late in her career. As it turns out, the late husband was no paragon of virtue but in the end, he helps his wife make the transition to a new life.

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.