In Paris, matronly interior decorator Ingrid Bergman (as Paula Tessier) fears, at 40, she's getting old. Playboy businessman Yves Montand (as Roger Demarest) cancels a dinner date with Ms. Bergman. After their next engagement, Mr. Montand doesn't stay for sex with Bergman. Instead, he goes out to pick up a younger woman. Obviously, their five year affair has lost its luster. Later, Bergman meets a wealthy client's son, bubbly law student Anthony Perkins (as Philip Van der Besh). He's 25-years-old. Immediately attracted to his mom's decorator, Mr. Perkins takes Bergman for a ride in his fast sports car and invites her to lunch...Produced and directed by Anatole Litvak, "Goodbye Again" features a trio of stars who certainly looked better on paper. We don't see much for Bergman to find attractive in either Perkins or Montand. Frankly, Bergman isn't especially attractive to either man, either. There is little passion in either pairing. Bergman is morbid. Perkins too silly. Montand seems disinterested even in the sexpots that appear in his bed. Other than having the younger heads popping in front of the camera, Mr. Litvak's dance scene near the end looks good. He uses automobiles to parallel his characters; at one point, Bergman's tears cover her car's windshield.**** Goodbye Again (5/61) Anatole Litvak ~ Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Yves Montand, Jessie Royce Landis

High class soap opera with Ingrid, stylishly dressed and becomingly coiffured, looking wonderful. She of course gives the best performance with Anthony Perkins a close second. The main problem is that her longing for Yves Montand, a stolid lout, is puzzling. In a sign of how the times have changed the enchanting beautiful Ingrid, who states that she is forty, considers herself old and seems desperately afraid of being alone and is willing to settle for crumbs from a man whom she is clearly to good for. Still as these sort of pictures go this is a fine diversion, competently directed with handsome black and white photography. Jessie Royce Landis is fun in a small part as Tony's mother.

Part way through I found myself wondering why I was still watching the movie. It was nice to see Ingrid Bergman 20 years after making Casablanca, but I just couldn't care that much about her dilemma in this film.One major detraction is Anthony Perkins. He has no business being in this film. I know he belongs in 'Psycho', but I don't think he's a fit as Bergman's younger lover.What's great though is the many outdoor shots of Paris in the 60's. The automobiles. Wow! Really great street scenes, night shots of Paris, and again, those goofy looking cars.And then there's that knockout Jocelyn Lane. She's doesn't last the duration of the film however, and that's really too bad.So in essence I'm recommending the first third of this film.

I watched this late last night, shaking myself to stay awake. Bergman as ever is sublime, and has a great life with her own successful business, wealthy clientèle and a sophisticated relationship with her lover, Roget (Montand), who insures himself against his own ageing body by using a string of youthful lovers whose names he can't be bothered to remember. Paula (Bergman)is referred to a job by Roget and there she meets a bored wealthy young man who has never been told "no" by his mother, his boss or anyone by the looks of things. Because she is basically not interested in anyone but Roget she does not fall at his feet, which intrigues him and he begins to pursue her, mistaking his growing infatuation for love. She is vulnerable because she is aware of her lover's own dalliances and becomes hooked on the adoration from this young pup, ending in an affair when Roget is out of town for a couple of weeks. This does not fit easily with any of them, she feels uncomfortable being with a man 15 years her junior, and he wants to live the life he wants with her in tow, giving him the affection he clearly missed out on from his mother. Eventually Roget and Paula reconcile and she gently evicts the youngster, not without a pang and marries the older man, only to have the realisation that he has not and will not change. It was as realistic as could be expected. Paris (even in black and white) was lovely and the acting was beyond criticism. I didn't weep however, nor did I want to - and I'm usually a soft touch for tear jerkers. This is obviously a classic and I'm glad I have finally seen it!