Cheeky chappy Michael Crawford manages to keep his jolly-o-meter under control for once in a serious role as a car salesman out to bed the beautiful wife of aristocrat Curt Jurgens. She's played by the preposterously proportioned (and acting impaired) Genevieve Gilles, whose frequent nude scenes must have pushed the limits of the GP rating in America. Francis Lai's score is breathtakingly beautiful, and it's a shame that Henri Decae's cinematography is compromised by the pan and scan print currently airing on the Fox Movie Channel. Approach with low expectations and you may enjoy Hello-Goodbye--though fans of late '60s pop psychedelic cinema will be more enthusiastic than others.
5 Reviews
Ah...the beautiful people. Those empty headed beautiful people.
mark.waltz7 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
That's basically all this is, a piece of glamorous eurotrash starring Michael Crawford as a car salesman traveling through the main one who has an affair with a mysterious woman, is perplexed when she disappears and discovers that she's the wife of his wealthy count employer. It's an absolute bore with great location scenes that are lush and green, but these characters are all one-dimensional and shallow, and there's really no reason to be interested in their sordid little affair.
In her only film, Geneviève Gilles is another one of those beautiful icebergs that looks great in clothes but should stick to modeling rather than try acting. The 1960's and early 70's were filled with actresses like this, as well as dashing older European men like Curd Jürgens who plays her husband, hiring Crawford to teach his son from a previous marriage how to drive the expensive cars he's purchased. Crawford of course is done to find out who the mistress of the house is, and he's only indignant for a short time before playing the same type of games that they are.
What is lavish physically is empty-headed otherwise, and the film isn't even camp or remotely humorous. Crawford on-screen was better as a second lead, and the effort to promote him into stardom with this fails miserably. Obviously the original choice of director, Ronald Neame, felt the same way because he quit, and replacement Jean Negulesco obviously just goes about directing without any enthusiasm. This is a film that could easily disappear and nobody would really care.
In her only film, Geneviève Gilles is another one of those beautiful icebergs that looks great in clothes but should stick to modeling rather than try acting. The 1960's and early 70's were filled with actresses like this, as well as dashing older European men like Curd Jürgens who plays her husband, hiring Crawford to teach his son from a previous marriage how to drive the expensive cars he's purchased. Crawford of course is done to find out who the mistress of the house is, and he's only indignant for a short time before playing the same type of games that they are.
What is lavish physically is empty-headed otherwise, and the film isn't even camp or remotely humorous. Crawford on-screen was better as a second lead, and the effort to promote him into stardom with this fails miserably. Obviously the original choice of director, Ronald Neame, felt the same way because he quit, and replacement Jean Negulesco obviously just goes about directing without any enthusiasm. This is a film that could easily disappear and nobody would really care.
Good riddance
brefane3 July 2012
Lame, charmless and pointless film that seems more like a vacation for the cast and crew than a serious attempt at movie making. Puckish Michael Crawford is dull and bland and has no chemistry with Genevieve Gilles in her first and only film; it was a hello-goodbye for her film career. And the film seems to have put an end to Michael Crawford's big screen career as well. They are a notably lackluster pair, and Jurgens as he did in Mephisto Waltz waltzes away with the picture or what's left of it. Pretty backdrops with undeveloped characters and their uninteresting dilemmas does not constitute a film.. The film is bad for tourism; worse for film-goers. I wouldn't be surprised if the film opened and closed on the same day. There's nothing at stake here, no characterization, no palpable conflict...I dare you to give a damn! The film was deservedly given a 1 star (out of 4) rating by Roger Ebert.
Absolutely fabulous
spectreqc10 August 2020
I first saw this movie on TV in th mid-70's . I found it on youtube recently and realized it was even better than when I first saw it . The early 70's were fantastic for those movies made in France with a mixed cast . The main characters chemistry makes the film a classic and that is why I could never get it off my mind . It's unfortunate that no one saw Geneviève Gilles's potential , she basically radiates. The critics killed this movie but as my grandma used to say " everyone is entitled to his/her opinion " . I beg to differ.... This was a great film !
I Still Remember This Film Fondly Over 40 Years Later
Vils116 March 2022
A film about a serendipitous meeting and how it develops. Yes it is whimsical and clunky in places. However the first half particularly captures a more carefree time and place.
I still remember it fondly over 40 years later. A timely reissue would be appreciated as it is very hard to find.
I still remember it fondly over 40 years later. A timely reissue would be appreciated as it is very hard to find.
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