Kiss Me Goodbye *** (1982, Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges) – Classic Movie Review 13,625

The 1982 American romantic comedy film Kiss Me Goodbye remakes the 1976 Brazilian film Dona Flor and her Two Husbands, and stars Sally Field, James Caan and Jeff Bridges.

Director Robert Mulligan’s 1982 American fantasy romantic comedy film Kiss Me Goodbye remakes the 1976 Brazilian film Dona Flor and her Two Husbands, and stars Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges, Paul Dooley, Claire Trevor, and Mildred Natwick.

It is three years after the death of Kay Villano (Sally Field)’s Broadway showman husband Jolly (James Caan) and she is finally able to move back into their old house, persuaded by her new fiancé, Egyptologist Rupert Baines (Jeff Bridges). Rupert suggests that they live in the same house, but Jolly’s ghost appears on the scene, though no one else sees him but Kay, and he doesn’t like the idea of Kay marrying Rupert.

Kiss Me Goodbye is a little-appreciated, but pleasant and rather jolly fantasy comedy along the lines of Blithe Spirit, though it is based on the novel Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos by Jorge Amado, and was first filmed under that title in Brazil as Dona Flor and her Two Husbands with Sonia Braga.

Kiss Me Goodbye is all quite sweet and amusing, with genial performances, good but not as good as the original. Sally Field is good too, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/ Musical, but Sonia Braga is sensational in the original.

Claire Trevor’s last cinema movie, as Charlotte Banning, in her first film for 15 years.

Release: December 22, 1982.

It was a hit, grossing $15.8 million in North America on a cost of $8 million.

Never a man to hold back, Caan said he disliked the film, and that making it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of his life, so he did not film again for five years. He said Robert Mulligan was the most incompetent film-maker he had ever worked with, and that ‘a lot of mediocrity was produced’.

The theme song ‘But It’s a Nice Dream’ is written by Peter Allen and sung by Dusty Springfield.

Cast: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges, Paul Dooley, Claire Trevor. Mildred Natwick. Dorothy Fielding, William Prince, Maryedith Burrell, Alan Haufrect, Stephen Elliott, Michael Ensign, Edith Fields, Lee Weaver, and Gene Castle.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,625

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