The Morning After

I watched this film while I was in treatment for alcoholism in June of 1987.

Thanks to God and AA, I have been continuously sober for the past 16 years.

In a few days, it could be 17 but we do this one day at a time. I am going to reveal how the movie ends. Don't keep reading if you don't want to know. However, the movie is not available for purchase anywhere that I know so there's little chance that I'll spoil anything for you. The way it ends is that the Dick Van Dyke character gives up and goes away to drink himself to death. I generally hate movies that end badly but this one had a tremendous impact on me. Van Dyke's portrayal is so convincing. It reminds me of the tremendous power of alcohol and the "life and death" struggle that is recovery. God bless you for reading this and if you know of a way to purchase this film, please let me know.

I cannot say enough good things about this film. I guess it is the mark of a classic that a film that was made almost thirty years ago could still touch people today. Dick Van Dyke deserved an Emmy for his mind-blowing performance as a tragic alcoholic. This movie has the grimmest ending you could imagine but it makes it a better film and a cut above the typical "disease of the week" fare tv has so often served. What is so amazing to me is that Dick Van Dyke had never played a dramatic part before he took on this one. He has played two other dramatic parts I remember well, he was a priest accused of murder in The Runner Stumbles and played another alcoholic in an HBO presentation of The Country Girl. Its so ironic that all three of these fine performances that he gave are now almost impossible to see. I have gotten e-mails from people after I got my copy of TMA asking me how they could get it because they have family members who are alcohlics. All right,go to "Google" on your computer. It is the most effective search engine and type in Weird World Of 70's Cinema Video Library. They have many, many rare videos that I didn't even know existed and The Morning After is one of them. Thats how you can get a copy. The e-mail address of this site is fantasma@negation.net. A man named Fitzgerald owns the site. He will gladly send you a copy at a very reasonable price.

I saw this movie when it came out. I was ten or eleven at the time and it's effect on me was profound.

One scene in particular, struck me so hard as to become a recurring nightmare:

Van Dyke's character wakes up on a beach and is going through the DTs. He runs down the beach clawing at himself and screaming. I remember asking my mother what he was doing and she explained the concept behind the DTs.

Years later, as a young adult, I discovered the joys (?) of drinking. Although I always had fun, I had a fear of that exact situation happening to me. On a trip to Club Med, I awoke to find myself face down on a beach. No DTs but I immediately flashed back to that movie and viewed myself as Van Dyke's character. A lonely, lost man with a terrible problem. We will just say that things changed from that point on.

Thank you, Dick.

Another note:

This film has always reminded me of "A Face In The Crowd". In that film, America's beloved Andy Griffith gave a chilling performance as a simple country man who allows fame and fortune turn him into a bitter wretch of a human being. As both films allow us to see very different sides of a pair of comic geniuses, I have often thought that they would make a great double-feature.

Its amazing that this seldom seen movie isn't out anywhere on video but it reminds us all of the emotional impact and trauma the affect us all when the painful and bitter subject of alcoholism comes into view. It can affect that lives of everyone we truly loved around us and it can pay a dangerous and painful price. I don't remember much about this movie when I saw it years ago as a child,but I did however got the chance to see this movie again when it aired recently on a cable channel and it stuck me in total awe. Dick Van Dyke's performance is astounding to watch as we see a man who has every to gain but terribly slips away to deep abyss of being a alcoholic losing everything he has worked for including losing his beloved wife and kids. I had an unbelivable impact on me when I saw this and it reminds me of how so much of how this disease can put you in either losing it all,ending up in jail,or sadly six feet under in the grave. Richard Matheson's masterful screenplay is a genuine classic as well as Dick Van Dyke's role of his career in which he should have won a Emmy for his mindblowing portrayal.

I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Van Dyke, and this is my favorite performance. I remember watching this movie in the '70's on TV, and have been looking for a copy ever since. Dick Van Dyke is not only a genius comedic actor, but he is also a wonderfully moving dramatic actor as well. If anyone knows where I can purchase a copy of this movie, please let me know at pjwpellegrino@hotmail.com. I have been waiting for years!!! Mr. Van Dyke reminds me so much of my father, and I have been watching his shows since I was a little girl. A couple of years ago, I received a DVD of a few of the old "Dick Van Dyke Show", and I watch it over and over. PLEASE email me if you know how to obtain a copy of "The Morning After", as I have been searching for this movie forever. Thanks so much, Paula Pellegrino pjwpellegrino@hotmail.com