Tomorrow

Robert Duvall has mentioned in several interviews that "Tomorrow" was one of his favorite movies that he worked on. He also mentioned that it was one of his most esoteric works. The movie disappeared from the theatres mostly because Duvall wasn't quite a marquee name at the time and furthermore, the actors weren't conventionally beautiful or handsome. And then there was that accent that Duvall affected... Anyway, this was based on a short story by Faulkner that was published in the Saturday Evening Post back when short stories could be published in anything other an anthology. It is also one of my favorite movies. The love story was touching and sweet. The ending had me bawling. And nobody was turned into a fish.

This is a very fine William Faulkner adaptation set in circa 1910 rural Mississippi. Duvall fans, like me, should be thrilled to see and hear his masterful piece of humble and unpretentious acting. I must say there is a level of disappointment in reading the few negative or cursory reviews. I think one of the most overlooked elements in this film is the outstanding acting by Olga Bellin (Sarah). Frequent commentary of being cast too old is unfounded. Women in rural environments of this depicted era were a little worn around the edges. Sarah is actually quite beautiful in close ups, and she dispels any age related bias in the subtleties of her great acting. Where Duvall is masterful in delivering rural and colloquial dialog, Bellin equals the performance with outstanding facial expressions and body language. It is like having a window to her heart and mind. Together, they compelled me to care about them. In some ways, a nice motif on opposites attract. As for the purported, slow pace of this movie, I might just say life in the woods of Mississippi for 103 minutes did not seem too deliberate for me. This film is a very good and focused character study on love and loyalty. The monochromatic cinematography is appropriate and adequate. The on location, props and screen captures are great. Cinophiles should appreciate it. Despite some critics perceived B-movie imagery at times, this film has 4-star acting and a meaningful story.

This is an incredible film. Not only is it a near perfect visualization of something quite complex, the Faulkner literary style, but it shows Robert Duvall to be the genius that he is. His style is so understated that you might not realize that he is one of the two or three greatest actors alive, but this film will nail that reality home for you. "Tomorrow" is a heartbreaking story set in the deep south a generation after the Civil War, and the tiny sad tale of a man and a woman and their child. It is a tale of profound love felt by people who cannot eloquently express themselves in words due to their social circumstances, but speak volumes with their actions. And so does the film. Shot in a very modernist style, there are long pauses, long glances, uncomfortable silences, all just like real life. And the effect, in this case, is brilliant. I am proud to say that I have, in my life, known a few people like the people in this film, and I can tell you that the portrayals are precisely right. The costumes are flawless in their detail. (Duvall's shirt is held shut with a safety pin, a tiny detail that my grandmother noticed immediately as the way men used to do it when the button fell off - she saw it hundreds of times as a girl in the 20's.) I could go on and on, but if you have any interest in Faulkner, or the South, or post Civil War culture, or the human condition in its most effecting moments, you really owe it to yourself to see this little gem of a movie. You absolutely will not be sorry.

In my opinion, Robert Duvall's performance made this story into a believable movie, and turned his character into a man of understated strength, and an admirable person. He managed to capture the mannerisms, accent, and speech syntax of his character and the region to the extent that the other actors' otherwise good portrayals appeared out of place. I'm not sure that I would have seen the movie, had I read the story first; however, having seen the movie, I want to read the book.

Tomorrow is one of the finest movies I have seen. Duvall was excellent in this movie, and even he points back to this as his finest work in cinema (I read an article once in which Duvall said that this role was his "King Lear"). The story is simple but significant. The impact of it is substantial. It is not a movie for hard-hearted cynics. Although it is not sappy, and by no means is it over-the-top (understated is a much better description), the movie does require a man to peel back his macho veneer and and try to identify with a life situation many men may find almost ridiculous (or horrifying) in this day, i.e. a life of faithful love and service. As such, this film would not be a top pick of fans of "The Man Show", or anything on MTV, for that matter. It is a gutwrenching story of sacrifice and self-denial; in other words, it is a REAL love story that brings to mind the love of God for the unlovely.