TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY
US, 1951, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Ruth Roman, Steve Cochran, Lurene Tuttle, Ray Teal, Morris Ankrum.
Directed by Felix E. Feist.
Tomorrow Is Another Day begins like a Warner Bros film of the 30s and 40s, a man being released from prison, antagonism from the police, trying to go straight. The difference is that he has been in prison from the age of fifteen for eighteen years and has very little experience of the outside world. He is exposed by an eager journalist and moves from the west coast to New York. He goes into a dance hall and encounters a young woman who attracts him, whom he persuades to show him around the city.
A situation arises where a detective who has been protecting her confronts him and the detective is accidentally shot. However, afraid, he and the girl use all kinds of ingenious means to escape from New York and finish up in California – in a community a bit like those of The Grapes of Wrath.
However, the law eventually catches up with them, especially with a friendly family wanting the money for the reward in turning him in. However, there are two final plot twists which perhaps are a bit farfetched. However, the film ends with an optimistic finale. The stars are veterans from Warner Bros in this period, Ruth Roman in tough style, Steve Cochran in a blend of the tough and the vulnerable.
1. An entertaining drama of the 1950s? Prison, the background of the police, crime, fugitives from crime? The contrast with the settled life at the lettuce farm in California?
2. Authentic atmosphere, the west coast and the cities, prison and factories, New York, the city streets, the dance halls, New Jersey and the suburbs, on the open road in the US? The farm? The musical score?
3. The title, Scarlet O’ Hara’s comment – and another day for Cay and Bill?
4. Bill Clark, waiting to see the warden, the warden urging him to go straight, his edginess, leaving prison, going to the diner, the ice cream, the friendly man, following him, paying for his ice cream, Bill discovering the newspaper article and the expose, his trying to get work at the factory, going to the newspaper, fighting the journalist who won’t press charges?
5. Bill, going to New York City, lonely, wandering the street, going in for the dances, not knowing how to pay for the dances, with the young woman, approaching Cay? Her dancing with him, her tough talk, his buying her the watch? His lack of sensitivity, her reaction? Change of heart, showing him the city? Taking him home, the encounter with the detective, the fight, his being unconscious, the shooting? The detective leaving wounded, but dying?
6. Cay and her packing, going to New Jersey? Bill and his following her, the family and her brother’s support, the critical woman? Their going on the run, with the car, the diner, getting into the transport and the car on the truck? The motel? The bond between the two? Cay saying they should stay together or split up, his thinking of the marriage, going through the ceremony? Cay’s change of heart, but not telling him the truth?
7. The encounter with the family, travelling with them? The hard work on the farm, the lettuces? Cay and her work? Pregnant?
8. The family, friendly, the young boy seeing Bill’s face, telling his father, the possibility of the reward? Bill on edge? The father going fishing, the accident, his wife and her suspicions? Not wanting to have anything to do with Cay?
9. Going to the police, the police arrival, the gun, Steve and the gun, Cay wounding him?
10. With the inspector, each confessing? The irony of the truth, the detective leaving the information about what happened? The couple having a future – another day?
