Errol Flynn was supposed to star in The Constant Nymph for Warners but was ushered off into more stereotypical fare – but the film was a hit, so when Warners plumped for a sequel several years later he was allowed to star.
The plot has rich Eleanor Parker break it off with composer Gig Young because she thinks Young has been living with single mother Ida Lupino. Actually Lupino’s been living with Young’s brother, Errol Flynn – so when Parker heads off for the mountains, Flynn and Young accompany him along with Lupino. Flynn falls in love with Parker before finding out who she is – when he does he goes and marries Lupino and Young winds up with Parker. But Parker still loves Flynn.
At this point the film starts to go south – Errol writes a ballet, has a fling with Parker, Lupino’s child dies (a shock), then Errol realises he actually loves Lupino in a really contrived scene and gets back with her.
Errol is well cast as a bohemian composer, a free spirit who’s a bit selfish and a womaniser – though we never really see him be a real bastard. It might have been a better film if he had. He does take off with Parker towards the end and Lupino’s child dies, but if that’s anyone’s fault it’s Lupino’s (for not getting medical help earlier) – and Parker is hot and wants him. What do you expect him to do? But he's still effective, even though he's shaved off his moustache and wears little Austrian outfits when in the mountains. It's not his fault the movie doesn't work.
Ida Lupino is a bit too modern and American as the widowed mother. She is part independent - when Errol takes off, she insists on coming along – part door mat – she wants Errol no matter what. They throw in a few lines where Lupino says she and Flynn are just friends, to which you go “yeah right” – it’s fairly obvious they’re rooting (why else would he live with her? For friendship?)
Eleanor Parker is a stunner- I reckon she’s three times as good looking when she’s in period costume. She and Errol have a charming flirt scene (this was lacking in Never Say Goodbye since they were already married). Her scenes with Errol have genuine heat – so much so towards the end it’s not believable when they don’t get together. Errol and Lupino seem like friends with benefits but Errol and Parker are a hot fling.
It feels like it should be a musical – there are times when you swear the characters are about to sing, like when Errol and Young decide to leave, and when Lupino cuddles her baby after he goes. It's a heavily flawed movie in which the story and some of the casting doesn't work. I think Warners would have been able to pull it off during the studio's great days but they were coming to an end.
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