Don’t Say Goodbye – Lucy Feldman, Jonathan Bennett

Andrej Lupin’s “Don’t Say Goodbye” begins on a somber note. A young couple walk reluctantly through a garage. He places his suitcase in his car, they embrace one last time, he gets in the car and turns the key. The pain of separation is plain on both their faces. But then he has second thoughts. He kills the ignition and steps from the car. Her sad face suddenly shifts to surprise and delight — they fly into each others’ arms and kiss with ecstatic, unrestrained, loving passion. The emotional weight of this introduction, and the effortless skill of these two performers, is truly impressive. She is Lucy Feldman, a slender, waif-like Russian beauty. He is Jonathan Bennett, a stalwart leading man in numerous Lupin productions. Together they make magic — their connection, their romance, and their all-consuming hunger for each other adds rich, compelling dimension to “Don’t Say Goodbye.” And that sense of longing, of raw desire, of love in its emotional and physical forms, makes their sexual union all the more moving. They make love on the spot, against the wall and on the floor of the garage. Parting is, indeed, such sweet sorrow, but in “Don’t Say Goodbye” it’s also the catalyst for a richly rewarding erotic cinema experience.