One More Tomorrow

Warner Brothers studio apparently had little confidence in this picture and apparently shelved it for three years before ultimately releasing it. Interesting, as it's one of the better Warner films of the era! I think the studio was uncertain about the film because the film does question conventional morality...even pushing the Production Code about as far as anyone did at the time. The other reason I think they sat on the film is that the movie starred many of the second-tier actors-- Jack Carson, Dennis Morgan, Alexis Smith and Ann Sheridan. Had it starred bigger names, I doubt if it would have sat as long...and I don't think the film would have been quite as good. It's hard to imagine Cagney, Bogart or Bette Davis in this film!

When the film begins, you learn that although Tom Collier (Morgan) is from a very wealthy family, he's not content to live the indolent life of the rich or go into the family business. He wants to make it on his own and soon buys a struggling magazine that is considered liberal and on the fringe. It's NOT what the family wants but his father loves him and doesn't press Tom too often to change jobs. But Cecelia (Smith) has every intention of changing him and making him exactly what sort of rich man she demands. Fortunately, Tom has instead fallen for a less conniving and more loving lady, Christie (Sheridan). But when Sheridan rejects Tom, he is easy pickings for Cecelia and they soon marry. However, problems clearly are looming as she's intent on breaking Tom and Tom is determined to be his own man. What's to become of them?

This is a very good film and brings up some great moral quandaries. However, the movie has one problem...Cecelia is just too obviously a horrible person. Had she been a bit more subtle in her machinations, the film would have been even better. Despite this, the acting is excellent, direction quite good and the story quite original and challenging. Well worth seeing.

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.

This is a good Warners film with a cast of their second-tier stars: Dennis Morgan, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson, Jane Wyatt, and Reginald Gardner. It was held for three years before release. Not sure why.

Tom Collier (Morgan) is from a wealthy family but not happy being a playboy or entering the family business. He wants to build something on his own. He purchases a liberal magazine instead.

Money-hungry Cecelia (Smith) has set her cap for Tom. He's in love with the magazine's photographer, Christie (Sheridan), but she shoots him down. Cecelia makes her move, and the two marry.

She's trouble from the beginning as she agrees with Tom's father about keeping the status quo. She certainly doesn't want Tom's best friend (Carson) around, who actually works for them as a butler.

Tom has to make a decision about who he is. One of the reviewers here thought it was unrealistic because Cecelia is a horrible person. Obviously he hasn't been exposed to what I have - and in my own family. Guys like the Tom character are absolute set-ups for these vipers, who will cut them off from their families and make them do things they don't want to do. Frankly they're a dime a dozen - snobby, patrician, and concerned with appearances.

Morgan, Sheridan, Carson, and Wyman as Christie's friend are very likable. We know how this film will end though it does push the envelope of the code.

Life's funny - Carson and Sheridan died in their early fifties, while Wyman and Morgan lived to ripe old ages. Here they're young, attractive, and working very well together. Pleasant film despite that mean Alexis Smith.

Someone over at Warner Brothers thought that Philip Barry's play The Animal Kingdom might make a good vehicle for their new male buddy team of Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson. So in roles pioneered by Leslie Howard and William Gargan on stage and in the RKO original film, Morgan and Carson took over the parts and did well with them as the playboy and the butler.

The story is updated to reflect wartime conditions. Morgan is an affable sort of playboy who likes giving parties and one time his little clambake is covered by photographers Ann Sheridan and Jane Wyman. Both are from a liberal type magazine that sounds a lot like PM which was in vogue at the time. Morgan who despite his affluence and his playboy lifestyle is a decent sort. He pulls the magazine out of red ink and takes over as publisher.

But on the homefront scheming society girl Alexis Smith has set her cap for Morgan. When he marries her Sheridan is heartbroken but that sure isn't the end of the story.

Fans of Philip Barry's work will also recognize items in the plot from The Philadelphia Story and Holiday. One More Tomorrow was filmed during the war years, but civilians didn't get to see it until the end of World War II. I imagine our Armed Forces saw it in the interim.

To get the rights to it the Brothers Warner had to buy them from RKO who I am sure was grateful for the coin as it always had financial problems until Howard Hughes bought the studio.

One More Tomorrow holds up well over 70 years later, the performances are fresh and strong and the quintet of leads is cast impeccably. What was interesting was Jane Wyman who in those years went from playing girl Friday roles which she had at Warner Brothers became a serious dramatic actress as she had gotten great reviews for The Lost Weekend and The Yearling. One More Tomorrow fit well into the collection of films that Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson were doing at the time. Alexis Smith got a real juicy part and made the most of it as a woman you really love to hate. This also fits in well with Ann Sheridan, it's a part she gave a lot of Oomph to.

I think Philip Barry fans will be pleased as One More Tomorrow keeps the spirit and message of The Animal Kingdom well intact.

...And they lived happily ever after. You know this is not the case with Dennis Morgan and Alexis Smith in "One More Tomorrow." Marrying Smith, when Ann Sheridan says no, can only lead to trouble.

We have an impressive cast here. Jack Carson is fabulous in bringing comic relief as the butler. Jane Wyman plays Sheridan's friend and she evokes her usual sympathy when she tells a married Morgan that Sheridan no longer wants to see him.

Smith plays a conniving, vicious woman to the hilt. Morgan is the righteous guy who turns his back on his father's wealth and goes to work for a magazine that will eventually uncover corruption on the part of the father (Thurston Hall's) friends. Smith and father-in-law Hall cook up quite a scheme to keep Morgan from publishing the stories. While it doesn't work, the picture sure does.

Marjorie Gateson briefly appears as Aunt Edna. I thought her part would be much bigger and important but she quickly disappears. Don't let this film pass you by.