One More Tomorrow

Warner Bros. apparently tried to buy up and/or surpress all existing prints of the zingy pre-code classic THE ANIMAL KINGDOM (1932) when they decided to remake it as ONE MORE TOMORROW (1946). ANd no wonder--this turgid remake definitely suffers the comparison. While adding a bit of the Warner Bros. panache and moving a bit more quickly (the earlier version was more faithful to the original stage play, and thus more talky), ONE MORE TOMORROW takes out all the zing, bite, and--most disturbingly--the very real human grappling with opposite desires--that THE ANIMAL KINGDOM managed to transpose so successfully to the screen from Philip Barry's equally successful play. Barry, the author of such gems as HOLIDAY and THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, seemed fascinated with the moral dilemmas faced by the rich and the not so rich as they struggle to come to terms with who--and what--is the most important guiding principle in their lives. Unfortunately, the production code forced Warner Bros. to temper the life out of Barry's still timely ideas about the perils of "selling out" in love and business. The result is, sadly, a film that plays as a standard Warner Bros. soaper, with little emotional or mental involvement involved. If you're a fan of stars Smith, Morgan, and Sheridan (who all do the best they can with the material), you'll want to see this one. If you're more interested in the idea behind it, or in Philip Barry, check out the infinitely superior THE ANIMAL KINGDOM--an unjustly forgotten precode classic guaranteed to appeal to heart and mind.