A ghost tries to hold onto his girl. Always is a 1989 remake of the 1943 movie A Guy Named Joe; Richard Dreyfuss plays a pilot flying a water bomber to put out forest fires in the United States, whereas the earlier film has Spencer Tracy as a World War II bomber pilot in Europe.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
Pete Sandich (Dreyfuss) is a natural pilot. The trouble is, he knows it and takes all sorts of dangerous risks, something that doesn't sit well with his girl, Dorinda Durston (Hunter), and his best friend, Al Yackey (Goodman). When Dorinda finally threatens to leave him after his latest hair-raising escapade, he makes her very happy by agreeing to take a safe job teaching others. However, on his last mission, he is killed after saving Al's life by putting out a fire on Al's plane with a mid-air "bombing".
Pete finds himself in the afterlife, where Hap (Audrey Hepburn) tells him that he is to inspire and help an inexperienced pilot named Ted Baker (Brad Johnson). He is pleased at first, but that changes quickly when he sees that Ted and Dorinda (still grieving although months have passed) are attracted to each other. He does his best to sabotage their budding romance, only to be reminded by Hap that he is dead.
When Ted volunteers for a very dangerous mission to save a trapped group of firefighters, Dorinda steals his bomber. Pete helps her complete the job. Afterward, the plane crashes into a lake, but Pete guides Dorinda to the surface. Then, as Ted runs to her, Pete relinquishes his hold on Dorinda's heart and walks away.
Best part of story, including ending:
It's a very sentimental romantic film, with good aerial sequences and comedy thrown in.
Best scene in story:
Pete's rescue of Al was very well done.
Opinion about the main character:
Pete's a cocky guy who finally matures.
