Never Let Me Go (1953) User Reviews (14)

cold war romance

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 15 August 2010]

Clark Gable and Gene Tierney are teamed in "Never Let Me Go," a 1953 film. An American news writer, Philip Sutherland, (Gable) falls in love with a beautiful ballerina Marya, (Tierney), but she isn't allowed to leave Russia with him, despite being given an exit visa. A desperate Gable devises a plan to smuggle her out. British star Kenneth More plays a friend, Steve, who helps him, and Richard Haydn and Belita play another couple in similar circumstances.

Gable went through a tough time post-war - he returned from the service a widower, in the shadow of Rhett Butler, and well into his forties, older than many of the leading men who had gone into the service. Men his age had stayed home. Also, MGM hadn't been sitting around waiting - they had new stars. His immediate films post-war aren't memorable.

"Never Let Me Go" is a good romance, however, and a good watch. Gene Tierney is beautiful, if not very Russian, and Gable is earnest and sympathetic as a tough guy who will do anything to reunite with his wife. Thanks to some good acting, one feels invested in these characters.

You have to give it to Gable - his first credited film was in 1931, and when his last film, The Misfits, was released in 1961, he was still a huge star. Despite some so-so movies, he never lost his appeal. "Never Let Me Go" is better than a lot of films MGM gave him during this period.

very different and an interesting curio

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 18 March 2006]

To me, the films Clark Gable made in the 1950s are a notch below his prior films. That's because too often Clark played "Clark Gable" (sort of like many of John Wayne's later films) and he didn't veer far from the expected. However, NEVER LET ME GO, dares to be different. While not a great plot, it is interesting and worth seeing. Gable falls for dancer, Gene Tierney, and marries her. However, she is Russian and the government basically holds her hostage and ships Gable out of the country and refuses to renew his VISA. So, Gable organizes a mission where he sneaks into the country to smuggle his wife out from under the commies' noses. While difficult to believe, it is a great curio of the era and illustrates life in the Stalinist era (which ended the same year the film debuted).

Curious but solid

[Scooby-57 · 7/10 · 20 July 2000]

An odd film but one that is surprisingly watchable and provides an interesting insight into the early stages of the Cold War. The film conveys the menace of the era and the grim, cold and hate filled place that the Soviet Union always was. Indeed from what we now know, one may even regard the film as being soft on the Communists, as the two Russian women in the film who take western husbands would quite likely have been taken off to labour camps (and 90% likely to have been killed therefore) by Stalin's secret police rather than just denied the chance to leave the country.

Some of the acting leaves a little to be desired and Clark Gable particularly seems like he is being forced into a part and a budget that was several sizes too small for him, but nevertheless a worthy and reasonably intelligent effort.

The Anglo-American angle in the film is one I always enjoy, it is always good to see the Brits and the Americans getting together!

Never Let Me Go

[terencehaddon · 3 July 2006]

Some of the scenes for this movie were filmed at Lusty Glaze beach in Newquay Cornwall. I visited there some years ago and there was a tea cafe with some stills from the film, Having seen the film,one could take in the atmosphere of the night filming which took place there. I also met local people who saw the filming and of course the stars. To reach Lusty Glaze, you have to decend over 100 steps to the beach. One wonders how all the cameras and lighting equipment actually got down there. There is only one access to the beach and one can imagine the actors having to climb and decend those steps to complete the take. Never Let Me Go was in my opinion one of Clark Gables most memorable films and his co star Gene Tierney was magnificent.

Romance In The Cold War

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 8 February 2009]

For Never Let Me Go Clark Gable has dusted off his American correspondent role from Comrade X. In that very funny comedy, Gable was playing an American newspaperman covering the Soviet Union before World War II. He's back at his correspondent's desk in this film. However here he's deadly in earnest as a man driven by love to get his Russian bride out of the police state.

Sadly the film was dated from its release with the prominent use of newsreel footage involving Joseph Stalin. The film was released on May 1, 1953 and Stalin had died in March of 1953. The state was the same, but the personalized red bogeyman that Stalin had become was no longer there. I'm sure that must have lessened the impact for those who saw Never Let Me Go in the theater.

During the war Gable meets ballerina Gene Tierney and in the spirit of the wartime alliance they fall in love and get married. But when the shooting war against Hitler stops and the Cold War starts, no one tells them NYET concerning romance. The increasingly cynical tone of Gable's stories make him an undesirable in the Soviet Union, he gets deported and Tierney is left behind. The Soviets don't recognize marriage and romance with the enemy.

Clark's not going to take that lying down. With Richard Haydn, another man who married a Russian girl left behind, they hire Bernard Miles who has a seaworthy craft and plan a rescue. It's quite a plan and a last minute hitch should have told any sensible person to try another day. Of course that's not what happens, but it does render the last minute rescue somewhat silly.

Tierney and Gable make a sincere of pair of romantic lovers. Even without the personalization of Stalin, the film is an accurate reflection of the times. Russians are a mighty suspicious lot of people, before, during, and after the Soviet Union. Kenneth More has a very nice role as a television broadcaster presumably for the BBC who helps the leads with some coded messages in his broadcasts.

Gable was getting a bit old for these kind of romantic daring do roles by 1953 though. It's not one of the top films of his career or in that last decade of that fabled Gable career.

A mature Gable; Tierney as a ballerina with chubby legs

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 2 May 2012]

Usually it doesn't even occur to me when I am watching a movie, but for some reason it really did occur to me that Gene Tierney and (especially) Clark Gable were tooooooooo old for their parts in this movie. Note especially Clark Gable in the bathing suit! That's not to say, however, that the acting isn't good in this film. Gable was darned good here. And, while it may have been a little difficult to see Tierney as a ballerina, it wasn't at all difficult to see her as a Russian. I particularly enjoyed watching Richard Haydn as Gable's friend. Haydn was often relegated to rather silly supporting comedy roles (such as in "Sitting Pretty" or "Money From Home", although you may remember him best as the agent in "The Sound Of Music"). Here he's straight dramatic, and quite good.

The drinking scene is quite entertaining (though clichéd), if for no other reason than enjoying watching Gable pretend he can't hold his liquor.

The plot is very cold war-ish. Gable -- a reporter -- falls in love with a Russian ballerina shortly after the end of WWII. Gable is forced out of Russia after marrying her, but is determined to rescue her by hook or by crook...or in this case by boat. The most illogical part of the film is him swimming to shore in only his shorts and t-shirt, expecting -- with no clothes -- to get into the auditorium where she is performing, and to somehow sneak her out. Which he does!!! Ah, Hollywood. There are some good moments here, and while it is not Gable at his best overall, he has some very good moments where he seems to have matured as an actor.

Very worth watching, though not necessarily one you'll want for your DVD shelf.

Pretty Terrible

[Handlinghandel · 1/10 · 31 December 2004]

This movie is bad but not in an interesting or entertaining way. Its politics are kind of peculiar. Its plot is minimal. And Clark Gable looks rather heavy and unengaged. (Did men during this period actually swim in old fashioned two-piece bathing costumes? If not, why were swimming scenes included?) Gene Tierney was a beautiful woman and a good actress under the right circumstances. She's touching in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" and amusingly over-the top in "Leave Her To Heaven." However, casting her as a Russian ballerina? She doesn't sound or look Russian. She looks ravishing but the whole movie is exceptionally bad.

never let me go

[mossgrymk · 4/10 · 12 February 2021]

HUAC schmaltz with an embarrassingly bad performance from Ms. Tierney whose Russian accent is one step above (or below) Boris and Natasha.

Clark and Gene are adorable

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 16 January 2021]

Sometimes there's a screen couple that's so adorable and looks so happy together, they make you wish they were married offscreen as well. Then, whenever we see either of them in another movie with a different costar, it's almost as if they're being unfaithful. For me, I don't wish Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh were married; it's Clark Gable and Gene Tierney. I've never seen him give such a tender performance or look at another costar with such love - not even Jean Harlow!

Clark stars in this romantic drama as an American journalist stuck in post-war Russia. He's been pursuing the beautiful ballerina Gene Tierney, but up until recently she hasn't given him the time of day. Now, she's learned enough English to say she loves him and that she's agreed to marry him. The only glitch in the newlyweds' happiness is leaving the country. Clark wants to bring Gene back to America, but the Russian government isn't keen to let her go. In a heartbreaking scene, government officials pretend to give both their traveling papers, only to let Clark on the plane and hold Gene back. Both restrained, they're forced apart as Clark is flown out of Russia and forbidden from returning.

Another couple, Richard Haydn and Anna Valentina, are married and also trying to leave the country. They have a baby on the way, so when they also get waylaid by the government with the same treatment, they start to panic. I always like seeing Richard Haydn in pre-Uncle Max roles, since he looks so different and has such a different energy. He's a great sidekick to Clark, but the main couple definitely steal the show. Gene Tierney is completely adorable, with her fantastic Russian accent and her ballerina training. She's never been lovelier.

I didn't really like Clark Gable during his heyday, but I certainly admired his ability to adapt to the changing acting style of the passing years. In this movie, he's no longer the fast-talking, shouting fellow from the 1930s. He speaks with his eyes, talks softly, and fits right in with the realistic style of the 1950s. And not that this is particularly relevant, but he still looks good, too! Never Let Me Go was the same year as Mogambo, but he looks far younger in this movie.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the section when Clark Gable and Richard Haydn are on the boat, the waves make them bob up and down quite a bit and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

A Beautiful Romance between an American and Russian

[smithy-8 · 8/10 · 20 October 2003]

"Never Let Me Go" is truly Clark Gable's last romantic movie. It shows the hardships on how an American reporter and a Russian ballerina must endure in order to marry and leave Russia. The movie shows how the Russian government interferred with the romance. In real life, Russia would hve done worst things to stop the romance, but this is a Hollywood romantic movie in the 1950's.

Clark Gable and the beautiful Gene Tierney make a beautiful couple and you route for them to escape and live happily ever after. This is a great movie to see on a rainy day or any day. It is on video.

Excellent Movie To See With A Date

[verbusen · 8/10 · 12 March 2008]

I almost wrote off watching this film because I saw a one star review for it and it involves the ballet, both turn off's for me. However many other reviewers gave it reasonable reviews and it had Clark Gable in post WW2 USSR (notice I did not write Russia, there is a difference). I'm happy I did watch it, although I would have enjoyed it more had I watched it with my wife (we are separated due to work issues), I know she would have liked or loved it. In response to another comment here, some of my favorite Gable movies are from the 50's. He did "Run Silent Run Deep", "Betrayed", and a personal favorite of mine "Soldier Of Fortune". He was a product of the Hollywood machine and couldn't be expected to go too far out of character, that's what people were paying for. Harrison Ford seems to me to be a modern day equivalent, all his acting roles seem similar to each other. To equate Gable to Wayne's film's is OK, Wayne probably actually had more diverse roles if you think about it. I guess neither played a gay role but that was before the time these film's were made. Anyway see this film, it's pretty good, and I like the black and white photography over color, it adds to the third world USSR element. I give it a respectable 8 of 10, more entertaining for me than many other Gable film's I remember. See it with your wife or partner to enjoy it even more as it is really a date movie; elements to please each gender.

Great from beginning to end

[dorydisney · 10/10 · 22 February 2021]

I never watch war-like movies. But since Clark Gable starred in it, I knew I had to give it a try. This movie is well rounded because it has romance, drama, and even a little mystery. I'm my own movie critic. I pick apart endings and insist they should have been different! This ending is perfect. Anyone that picks this movie apart should watch boring modern day movies that get their ideas from old movies! And they're never as good!

The beginning of cold war in movie before politics

[moatazmohsen78 · 8/10 · 15 June 2008]

This film was an oracle for (Cold war) before their accident ten years not by war or politics or satellite but by art and love upon a story of an American writer that fell in love with Russian dancer during the WWII and the Russian Authorities refused this love because of political misunderstanding between two countries.

I like this film because of romantic spirit and good ballet upon the shows of this movie upon different situations between love , thriller and suspense.

Clark Gable succeeded in this role as a lover but not as (Gone with the wind) and he made in his profile as an actor his still style as (A lover of Hollywood).

we are here in-front of American-Russian story as a root of cold war before ten years of it in the real of it.

Gable will never let Tierney go

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 29 June 2023]

The main idea behind this MGM film, filmed in Great Britain, is to show what happens when a dapper American newspaper man (Clark Gable) falls in love with a Russian ballerina (Gene Tierney). To say there is considerable drama would be an understatement, especially when Gable marries Tierney but she is unable to get a visa home with him. Initially, he has no choice but to leave her behind then devise a scheme to help her defect from Russian authorities.

This plot would become a popular one on TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s. Episodes of Hawaii Five O and Scarecrow & Mrs. King featured beautiful young Russian girls (and they were always young and beautiful, never old and ugly) wanting to take up residence in the U. S. Of course, these tales never show the potential defectors caring all that much about the American way of life. Instead, they just want to escape the oppression and hardship of their native country, because they've found love with an attractive American male.

I think these types of stories have been popular with viewers, because they accomplish two things. First, if they are structured as romance dramas, then the audience will root for a certain outcome due to the sentimental hooey that is playing out on screen...after all, nobody wants such innocent lovers to be separated, do they?

Second, since these stories tend to over emphasize the political aspects of two nations that are polar opposites during the cold war, there's all kinds of danger and intrigue which makes it exciting on some level. But more importantly, the audience will root for the couple because they want the girl to get away from big bad Russia, as this will reinforce the patriotism of the viewer and the viewer's commitment to American ideals. Anyone who wants to leave a communist country and become a free American surely can't be denied the chance to do so, can they?

In the case of this motion picture, the characters portrayed by Clark Gable and Gene Tierney receive help from an assorted group of friends and political operatives. Gable has married Tierney, but of course the Soviet Union has no plans of letting her go. Since Gable also has no plans of letting her go, he needs help to prevent the Russian government from holding on to his wife.

The Russians intend to maintain their claim on Tierney because she's a well-known ballet star. Losing her would be like losing a star athlete before the Olympics. It would mean a loss of prestige; more crucially, it'd be a signal to the rest of the world the Russians aren't strong enough to hold on to 'their' people.

After flying home to the U. S. for a short interim, Gable returns to Europe with a plan in motion to get his wife back from her native captors. He sneaks into an east European country with communist leanings where Tierney is on tour with the ballet. As soon as he finds her, he will sneak her out. This is really where the viewers root for good over evil, hoping Gable will succeed in 'kidnapping' Tierney, since she belongs to him, not to her nefarious government.

Some of the scenes that take place in Finland during the final act of the movie are quite tense and gripping to watch. Gable undertakes a daring mission to obtain entrance into a concert hall where Tierney is performing. Gable impersonates a doctor in order to succeed. During the performance, Tierney spots him in the crowd and feigns illness so Gable as the doctor will be brought backstage to examine her. Then they flee out a side door together.

Again this type of 'love against the odds' story is meant to sweep up the audience and reinforce patriotic ideals. On a basic level, there's nothing wrong with that. However, the film does fall a bit flat in spots and strains credibility because Gable's too long in the tooth for this role, like he was in so many of his mid-50s vehicles where he was romancing a starlet young enough to be his daughter. In fact, there was a 19 year difference between him and Tierney, and it's quite obvious.

We also have openly gay actor Richard Haydn playing one of Gable's pals on screen which is unusual. But despite the odd casting, I do think the sincere and noble aims of cast and crew help carry NEVER LET ME GO over the rough spots, and they help us to forget its more improbable aspects.