IF TOMORROW COMES

US, 1971, 120 minutes, Colour.
Patty Duke, Frank Mu, James Whitmore, Anne Baxter, Pat Hingle.
Directed by George Mc Cowan.

If Tomorrow Comes is a telemovie with an important theme, the treatment of American Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is presented in an emotional way, using the outline of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The film has the antagonistic families, American and Japanese. A schoolteacher acts the part of the nurse. There is a priest who does the wedding. The two lovers have to meet in secret, cannot reveal their love, the heroine fabricates a suicide and the hero believes that it must also be for himself. There are feuds between the relations of the two families, involving deaths. There is a fair-minded sheriff. The parallel with Shakespeare
is very interesting - although, within the brief running time of this telemovie, it cannot be fully developed.

1. An entertaining and interesting telemovie? Romance? Piece of Americana? History? Racism?

2. The atmosphere of California in 1941? The small town, ordinary people, the Japanese community and their homes end customs, school, basketball, the beach? The idyllic America pre-World War Two? The impact of the bombing of Pearl Harbor -radio news, legal action, the round-ups of Japanese? The internment camps?

3. The parallels with Romeo and Juliet? Appropriately adapted to California 1941? The details of the comparisons of characters? Of themes? Of social comment? Of understanding of individuals? of love?

4. The focus on Eileen - her return home, going to school, her love for her family, the friendship with Miss Cramer? Her walking around the town, the chance meeting with David? her being welcomed by the Japanese? Her noting their American Japanese lifestyle? Sharing poetry quotations? Dating? The drive-in? The credibility of their decision to marry?

5. Their falling in love? Seeking the priest to do the wedding - and his interrogation? Miss Cramer as witness? Eileen's not telling her parents? The irony of the announcement of Pearl Harbor? The separation, her reaction to the prejudice in the town, her arguments with her father? Her meeting David, the subsequent fights, the death of Harlan, David's responsibility? The court case and his being not guilty? Miss Cramer arranging the night together? Her decision to fabricate her suicide? Her grief at David's death, anointing his body for burial? character? A Juliet character?

6. Eileen as an American, David and his place in the Japanese American family? Western style, names? His charm? Showing Eileen around the community? Sharing poetry? Dates, failing in love, the decision to marry, the wedding? The news of Pearl Harbor, the impact on his family, the antagonism of the townspeople including Eileen's father? The stoning of their house, the hitting of his father? The internment? The killing of his friend by Harlan, the attack on the railway lines, Harlan's death, his explanation to Eileen, giving himself up? His being acquitted? The friendship of the sheriff and advising him to leave town? His visit to his father in the internment camp? Miss Cramer telling him the news of Eileen's death? His ritual suicide on the beach? As a Romeo figure?

7. The picture of the ordinary American family, loving? The eruption of the war, the bringing out of prejudice, Eileen's father and his going on the truck to stone the house? His quoting authorities, his bigoted and racist statements, his not listening to his daughter? His preferring his son to be dead? The mother, Harlan and his prejudice, fighting on the basketball court, picking a fight and killing the young Japanese? His death because of prejudice? Typical of the American family at that time? The other people in the town - the stoning party, and the hitting of the old Japanese? The Japanese family, and its traditions, bewilderment?
The credibility of the propaganda that they were building up spying near the coast, accusations of poisoning food and water?

7. The picture of racism and bigotry, the exaggerated statements and sentiments that emerge at a time of war?

8. The sheriff and his fairness? His apologies for the government man with his vigorous searching?

9. Miss Cramer as teacher, friendship with Eileen, witness at the wedding, arranging for the two to spend the night together? Her grief at Eileen's death, giving the news to David?

10. The questions of whether they would be able to marry or not? Eileen wanting to seize the opportunity? His wanting to help reconcile people?

11. The details of the American town? The disruption, the official searching the Japanese homes? The military and their abuse - and the touch of humanity?