Escape Me Never (1947)

Directors:

Peter Godfrey
LeRoy Prinz

Writers:

Thames Williamson (screenplay)
Margaret Kennedy (novel)

Release Date:

27 January 1950 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

It is Venice, 1900, and Fenella is engaged to composer Caryl Dubrok until she hears that an unmarried...

Plot Keywords:

Composer | Ballet | Poster | Symphonic Music Score | Baby

Cast

Errol Flynn	...	Sebastian Dubrok
Ida Lupino	...	Gemma Smith
Eleanor Parker	...	Fenella MacLean
Gig Young	...	Caryl Dubrok
Reginald Denny	...	Mr. MacLean
Isobel Elsom	...	Mrs. MacLean
Albert Bassermann	...	Professor Heinrich (as Albert Basserman)
Ludwig Stössel	...	Mr. Steinach (as Ludwig Stossel)
Milada Mladova	...	Natrova
George Zoritch	...	The Dancer
Helen Thimig	...	The Landlady (as Helene Thimig)
Frank Puglia	...	The Guide
Frank Reicher	...	The Minister

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Movie Connections:

Featured in Ballets russes (2005)

Errol Hits No High Notes

After 1945 in which Errol Flynn appeared in typical roles for him in Operation Burma and San Antonio, he obviously must have talked to Jack Warner about getting parts that would broaden his range. He did three films over the next two year designed to do that, Never Say Goodbye, Cry Wolf, and Escape Me Never. The last is probably closest to Flynn, but all three didn't either get great critical notice or did outstanding box office. After Escape Me Never, Flynn was back in traditional action roles like Silver River and The Adventures of Don Juan, the kind of parts his fans like to see him in.

Escape Me Never is a four sided triangle story set in the years of the turn of the last century. Errol's a misunderstood genius of a composer who is living with a young widow, Ida Lupino and her baby. Ida's another Bohemian sort who broke into the villa in Venice of an English couple and their daughter. When she's confronted she mentions she's living with Errol. That sends a ripple through the house because daughter Eleanor Parker is engaged to Gig Young who is Errol's brother and they think Errol's a two timer. When she leaves Venice in a huff, Flynn, Lupino, and Young chase after her.

The problem is that the daughter may have been wrong on the particulars, but in fact Errol is a two timing cad, though a charming one.

Charm Flynn had in abundance, but I could never quite accept him as a musical genius. The best thing about the film is the music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold who wrote a ballet for the film that is the highlight. Korngold scored a lot of Flynn's early swashbucklers, most notably The Adventures Of Robin Hood.

This is the second version of this story, the British cinema did one in 1935 with Elisabeth Bergner and Hugh Sinclair. I'm guessing that was a better film.