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.

This film is a lovely find. The story line is not particularly original: selfish-wife-tangles-with-selfless-rival. Ann Sheridan is beautiful and performs wonderfully as the woman who regrets having turned down Dennis Morgan's marriage proposal at the start of the film. Alexis Smith certainly holds her own as the cold, haughty and spoiled woman who stalks and marries the wealthy Dennis Morgan soon after. The story line has Morgan as the publisher of a "liberal" magazine - in the olden days "liberal" had as illustrious a reputation in the U.S. as it continues to maintain in the rest of the world today. Sheridan researches a story involving wartime graft among industrialists which Morgan feels compelled not to publish in his progressive magazine after his wife, anxious to maintain her social standing, lies to him about his own father's involvement and certain prison sentence if the story is exposed. Comic relief in the storyline is provided by Jack Carson as the oft-inebriated pal of Dennis Morgan - who "buttles" for the upper class couple. Well worth a watch!

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.

Just wondering if anyone noticed the dark Buick convertible driven by the hero in this film. It's not conspicuous. It's a 1941 Buick Super convertible. I'm wondering if it's that same one Gary Grant drove during his 1948 film, Mr Blandings Builds his Dreamhouse. If this was a car on the Warner lot, the it might have gotten into other films, and might have survived to this day in some collectors collection. I'd love to know the story of this car, and its present whereabouts, if it still exists. Very nice car for the time. It's an exceptional car of the era. Buick had the most powerful engines of the day, and this model had a 125 HP engine with dual carburetors, that jazzed up its performance considerably.