Always Goodbye (1931)

60 or 62 mins | Melodrama | 31 May 1931

Cinematographer:

Arthur Edeson

Production Designer:

William Darling

Production Company:

Fox Film Corp.
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HISTORY

The working title of this film was Red-Handed. It was listed as Always Good-Bye in one review. The film which the characters "Lila" and "Armstrong" go to see is East Lynne, an earlier Fox film of 1931 (see below). This was the first film as directors for art director William Cameron Menzies and actor Kenneth MacKenna and the second American film and first starring role for London actress Elissa Landi. The character played by Paul Cavanagh was called "Frank Carlson" in one review. According to information in the Twentieth-Century Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Myron C. Fagan and S. N. Behrman wrote material for the film, but none of Fagan's was used, nor was any substantial part of Behrman's. ...

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The working title of this film was Red-Handed. It was listed as Always Good-Bye in one review. The film which the characters "Lila" and "Armstrong" go to see is East Lynne, an earlier Fox film of 1931 (see below). This was the first film as directors for art director William Cameron Menzies and actor Kenneth MacKenna and the second American film and first starring role for London actress Elissa Landi. The character played by Paul Cavanagh was called "Frank Carlson" in one review. According to information in the Twentieth-Century Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Myron C. Fagan and S. N. Behrman wrote material for the film, but none of Fagan's was used, nor was any substantial part of Behrman's.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Film Daily
24 May 1931
p. 10
HF
14 Mar 1931
p. 24
HF
4 Apr 1931
p. 24
Motion Picture Herald
25 Apr 1931
p. 40
New York Times
23 May 1931
p. 13
New York Times
31 May 1931
p. 5
Variety
27 May 1931
p. 57
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
William C. Menzies
Dir
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Wm. Fox
Pres
WRITERS
Orig story
Cont and dial
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photog
ART DIRECTOR
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
SOUND
Joseph E. Aiken
Sd rec
PRODUCTION MISC
O. O. Dull
Bus mgr
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Red-Handed
Release Date:
31 May 1931
Premiere Information:
New York opening: week of 22 May 1931
Production Date:
mid Mar--early Apr 1931
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Fox Film Corp.
12 May 1931
LP2257
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric System
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
60 or 62
Length(in feet):
5,400
Length(in reels):
8
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

After she has used up the money left her by an aunt to pose as an heiress and live the life of a London socialite for a year, Lila Banning is about to marry the elderly Sir George Boomer for his money when Cyril Shayne, whom she loves, proposes. At the Hotel Knickerbocker, when Cyril learns that Lila cannot even pay for their tea, he reveals that he also has no money and leaves her. Reginald Armstrong, who has eavesdropped on their conversation, buys Lila tea and takes her to a film, after which he proposes that she pose as his wife and go with him to Lake Como, Italy to visit John Graham, one of the world's richest men, whom Armstrong's father staked in the South African diamond fields. Lila refuses at first, but when the sight of a mouse in her new room repulses her and men in her new neighborhood try to pick her up, she accepts Armstrong's offer. Meanwhile, Mr. Blake of Scotland Yard informs Graham that the real Armstrongs are in America and that the couple about to arrive are impostors who intend to steal his diamond collection. Graham, who welcomes excitement, graciously acts the host and grows fond of Lila, while she learns about the scheme of her "husband," whose real name is Morgan, and plans to leave. Believing that Lila is involved because of some deep unhappiness, Graham tries to prove her innocence to Blake through a test by revealing to her his safe combination. Morgan overhears it and steals the diamonds, but when Lila tries to replace them, Blake and Graham catch her and ...

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After she has used up the money left her by an aunt to pose as an heiress and live the life of a London socialite for a year, Lila Banning is about to marry the elderly Sir George Boomer for his money when Cyril Shayne, whom she loves, proposes. At the Hotel Knickerbocker, when Cyril learns that Lila cannot even pay for their tea, he reveals that he also has no money and leaves her. Reginald Armstrong, who has eavesdropped on their conversation, buys Lila tea and takes her to a film, after which he proposes that she pose as his wife and go with him to Lake Como, Italy to visit John Graham, one of the world's richest men, whom Armstrong's father staked in the South African diamond fields. Lila refuses at first, but when the sight of a mouse in her new room repulses her and men in her new neighborhood try to pick her up, she accepts Armstrong's offer. Meanwhile, Mr. Blake of Scotland Yard informs Graham that the real Armstrongs are in America and that the couple about to arrive are impostors who intend to steal his diamond collection. Graham, who welcomes excitement, graciously acts the host and grows fond of Lila, while she learns about the scheme of her "husband," whose real name is Morgan, and plans to leave. Believing that Lila is involved because of some deep unhappiness, Graham tries to prove her innocence to Blake through a test by revealing to her his safe combination. Morgan overhears it and steals the diamonds, but when Lila tries to replace them, Blake and Graham catch her and Graham angrily denounces her. Lila, however, is overjoyed to hear Graham admit that he earlier loved her. After Morgan is captured trying to escape, Lila's innocence is proven, and she and Graham are reconciled.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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