(1956)
2
Craig Butler
Originally conceived as a vehicle for Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, Forever Darling was re-tailored to fit the talents of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The results make one wonder why anyone bothered to re-tailor this particular piece of thin, bland material. While not a terrible film, Darling has very little to recommend it. Certainly, Ball and Arnaz are amiable company, and Darling does give Arnaz a little more chance to act than one is used to. But the material doesn't allow Ball many chances to use her unique comic spark, and accepting Arnaz as a brilliant chemist is a bit of a stretch. The situations are hackneyed, the dialogue is weak, the characterizations are too pat and the screenplay as a whole is unfocused and prone to wandering. A stronger director might have been able to force some life into this, but Alexander Hall's work is wan. There are some moments that work, such as the camping trip, but even this feels like something that would have been better served on the stars' TV show. The title song, quite popular, is pleasant.
Forever Darling on AllMovie
Forever Darling (1956)
