# Forever, Darling > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forever%2C_Darling > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forever%2C_Darling.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever%2C_Darling > Source revision: 1339335324 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1956 film by Alexander Hall Forever, Darling Directed by Alexander Hall Written by Helen Deutsch Produced by Desi Arnaz Jerry Thorpe Starring Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz James Mason Louis Calhern John Emery John Hoyt Natalie Schafer Cinematography Harold Lipstein Edited by Dann Cahn Bud Molin Music by Bronislau Kaper Production companies Zanra Productions Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributed by Loew's Incorporated Release date February 9, 1956 (1956-02-09) Running time 96 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $951,000[1] Box office $2.29 million[1] ***Forever, Darling*** is a 1956 American [fantasy](/source/Fantasy) [romantic comedy](/source/Romantic_comedy) film directed by [Alexander Hall](/source/Alexander_Hall), written by [Helen Deutsch](/source/Helen_Deutsch), and starring [Lucille Ball](/source/Lucille_Ball), [Desi Arnaz](/source/Desi_Arnaz), and [James Mason](/source/James_Mason).[2] In the film, Ball stars as a wife who tries to save her struggling marriage to a chemical engineer (Arnaz) with the help of her [guardian angel](/source/Guardian_angel) (Mason). [Louis Calhern](/source/Louis_Calhern) and [Natalie Schafer](/source/Natalie_Schafer) co-star in supporting roles. Originally intended for [William Powell](/source/William_Powell) and [Myrna Loy](/source/Myrna_Loy), the script caught the interest of Ball and Arnaz, who were interested in making another film for MGM after the success of *[The Long, Long Trailer](/source/The_Long%2C_Long_Trailer)*. The film was produced during the hiatus of *[I Love Lucy](/source/I_Love_Lucy)*. [MGM](/source/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) released the film on February 9, 1956. Unlike *The Long, Long Trailer*, the film received mixed reviews and a lukewarm commercial response.[2] ## Plot After five years of marriage, chemical engineer Lorenzo Xavier Vega ([Desi Arnaz](/source/Desi_Arnaz)) tends to neglect his wife Susan ([Lucille Ball](/source/Lucille_Ball)) in favor of his work. When she wishes aloud that she had a more attentive spouse, her Guardian Angel – coincidentally the mirror image of her favorite movie star ([James Mason](/source/James_Mason)) – appears. The angel advises Susan to take a greater interest in Lorenzo's career, so she agrees to accompany him on a camping trip to test the revolutionary insecticide he's developed. However, Susan's dream of a second honeymoon turns into a nightmare when everything that could go wrong does. She becomes determined to save her marriage before it's too late. ## Cast - [Lucille Ball](/source/Lucille_Ball) as Susan Vega - [Desi Arnaz](/source/Desi_Arnaz) as Lorenzo Xavier Vega - [James Mason](/source/James_Mason) as The Guardian Angel - [Louis Calhern](/source/Louis_Calhern) as Charles Y. Bewell - [John Emery](/source/John_Emery_(actor)) as Dr. Edward R. Winter - [John Hoyt](/source/John_Hoyt) as Bill Finlay - [Natalie Schafer](/source/Natalie_Schafer) as Millie Opdyke - [Mabel Albertson](/source/Mabel_Albertson) as Society Reporter - [Ralph Dumke](/source/Ralph_Dumke) as Henry Opdyke - [Nancy Kulp](/source/Nancy_Kulp) as Amy - [Willis Bouchey](/source/Willis_Bouchey) as Oliver Clinton [Marilyn Maxwell](/source/Marilyn_Maxwell) also makes an uncredited appearance as herself in a fictional film she co-stars in with Mason. ## Production The script initially titled *Guardian Angel* had been written by Deutsch in the 1940s as a vehicle for [William Powell](/source/William_Powell) and [Myrna Loy](/source/Myrna_Loy) and had been languishing at [Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer](/source/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) for several years. Later, [Spencer Tracy](/source/Spencer_Tracy) and [Katharine Hepburn](/source/Katharine_Hepburn) were slated for the film, but it eventually fell through.[3] Following the success of their 1954 film *[The Long, Long Trailer](/source/The_Long%2C_Long_Trailer)*, Ball and Arnaz had signed a two-picture deal with MGM in an attempt to set up a film unit for [Desilu Productions](/source/Desilu_Productions). MGM head [Dore Schary](/source/Dore_Schary) suggested *Guardian Angel* to the couple as the first picture of the deal.[4] Ball believed the project would bring the couple closer together, and they agreed to do it.[5] It was the first time Desilu was involved in feature film production. As with *[The Long, Long Trailer](/source/The_Long%2C_Long_Trailer)*, the lead characters are similar in personality to the Ricardos. In March 1955, [Cary Grant](/source/Cary_Grant) was the reported choice for the guardian angel; however, his demanded salary was too high, so the role went to Mason.[4][6] Alexander Hall — who was Ball's boyfriend at the time she met Arnaz — was hired as the director. Arnaz felt the script was weak, and he brought in *[I Love Lucy](/source/I_Love_Lucy)* writers [Madelyn Pugh](/source/Madelyn_Pugh) and [Bob Carroll, Jr.](/source/Bob_Carroll%2C_Jr.) to make uncredited changes; the duo's contribution was the [slapstick](/source/Slapstick) camping sequence in the final third of the film.[7] Filming started in mid-June 1955 while Ball and Arnaz were on hiatus from filming *I Love Lucy*.[6] Although mostly filmed at [Desilu Studios](/source/Desilu_Studios) in [Culver City, California](/source/Culver_City%2C_California), some scenes were filmed on location in [Yosemite National Park](/source/Yosemite_National_Park). Filming wrapped on July 12.[6] The title song, with lyrics by [Sammy Cahn](/source/Sammy_Cahn) and music by [Bronislau Kaper](/source/Bronislau_Kaper), was recorded by both Arnaz and the [Ames Brothers](/source/Ames_Brothers), who performed it over the opening credits and ultimately had the bigger hit. The tune became an Arnaz family tradition, sung by Desi at special events, including his daughter [Lucie](/source/Lucie_Arnaz)'s marriage to actor [Laurence Luckinbill](/source/Laurence_Luckinbill).[4] ## Promotion and reception Ball and Arnaz promoted the film via a cross-country train tour aboard a special car provided by the [Santa Fe Railroad](/source/Santa_Fe_Railroad), with stops in Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, and Ball's hometown of Jamestown, New York.[8] The film opened at the [Loew's State Theatre](/source/Loew's), where the newlywed couple had performed their first [vaudeville](/source/Vaudeville) act in 1941. The film has received mixed reviews. When it opened, [Bosley Crowther](/source/Bosley_Crowther) of *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)* described it as a "thin, overdrawn, weak caper," [9] and *Time Out London* later called it a "fitfully amusing offering."[10] Most notably, programmers at [Radio City Music Hall](/source/Radio_City_Music_Hall), where *Trailer* had premiered, refused to let the film open there because they found it "sub-standard." According to MGM records, the film earned $1,912,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $376,000 in other markets, resulting in a loss of $188,000.[1] As a result of the disappointing results, MGM and the couple mutually agreed to cancel the deal, and Desilu did not produce another film until *[Yours, Mine, and Ours](/source/Yours%2C_Mine_and_Ours_(1968_film))* 11 years later.[11] ## See also - *[Heaven Can Wait](/source/Heaven_Can_Wait_(1978_film))*, 1978 film where Mason plays a similar character - [List of films about angels](/source/List_of_films_about_angels) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mannix_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mannix_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Mannix_1-2) *The Eddie Mannix Ledger*, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Forever,_Darling_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Forever,_Darling_2-1) ["Forever, Darling"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110905192336/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/159/Forever-Darling/#credits). *[Turner Classic Movies](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies)*. [Atlanta](/source/Atlanta): [Turner Broadcasting System](/source/Turner_Broadcasting_System) ([Time Warner](/source/Time_Warner)). Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/159/forever-darling#credits) on September 5, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** *Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz* by Coyne Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert, William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1993, pg. 102 ([ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-688-11217-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-688-11217-X)) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-TCM_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-TCM_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-TCM_4-2) ["Forever, Darling"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110905192336/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/159/Forever-Darling/#articles-reviews?articleId=118530). *[Turner Classic Movies](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies)*. April 20, 2006. Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/159/forever-darling#articles-reviews?articleId=118530) on September 5, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Ball of Fire* by Stefan Kanfer, Alfred A. Knopf, 2003, pg. 180 ([ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-375-41315-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-375-41315-4)) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AFI_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AFI_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AFI_6-2) ["FOREVER, DARLING (1956)"](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/51833). *[AFI](/source/American_Film_Institute)*. Retrieved December 3, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz*, pg. 103 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz*, pg. 119 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** *Ball of Fire* by Stefan Kanfer, pg. 180 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["*Time Out London* review"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110606231310/http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/66901/Forever_Darling.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/66901/Forever_Darling.html) on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** *Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz*, pp. 103–104 ## External links - [*Forever, Darling*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049225/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*Forever, Darling*](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/159/enwp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived) - [*Forever, Darling*](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/51833) at the *[AFI Catalog of Feature Films](/source/AFI_Catalog_of_Feature_Films)* v t e Films directed by Alexander Hall Sinners in the Sun (1932) Madame Racketeer (1932) The Girl in 419 (1933) Midnight Club (1933) Torch Singer (1933) Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen (1934) Little Miss Marker (1934) The Pursuit of Happiness (1934) Limehouse Blues (1934) Annapolis Farewell (1935) Goin' to Town (1935) Give Us This Night (1936) Yours for the Asking (1936) Exclusive (1937) There's Always a Woman (1938) I Am the Law (1938) There's That Woman Again (1938) The Amazing Mr. Williams (1939) The Lady's from Kentucky (1939) Good Girls Go to Paris (1939) The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940) He Stayed for Breakfast (1940) This Thing Called Love (1940) Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) Bedtime Story (1941) They All Kissed the Bride (1942) My Sister Eileen (1942) The Heavenly Body (1944) Once Upon a Time (1944) She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945) Down to Earth (1947) The Great Lover (1949) Love That Brute (1950) Louisa (1950) Up Front (1951) Because You're Mine (1952) Let's Do It Again (1953) Forever, Darling (1956) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Forever, Darling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever%2C_Darling) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever%2C_Darling?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.