Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I find with each viewing of the classic "Tomorrow Is Forever" I find I like the production more and more. It is such a totally rich film in so many ways, whether it be the sterling central performance from Claudette Colbert in what I'm convinced is one of her finest performances, Orson Welles's charmed under playing of a role that could have been simply sentimental, or the haunting anti-war message it puts forward in its telling of life through two world wars.
"Tomorrow Is Forever" has so much to offer to the viewer in so many different ways. Claudette Colbert always a favourite actress of mine proves once and for all what a superb dramatic actress she can be. Long regarded as one of the premier comedy actresses of the 1930's and 40's here she excels in the role of a young bride who believes she has lost her husband in WW1 action only to find that years later after she has re married that a stranger who comes into her families life gives her a eerie sense that that might not be the case. In this film she is at times touchingly lovely, stubborn, full of anger and full of hope, in short she has a wonderful well rounded character to work with and she makes the most of it.
Claudette is blessed with two excellent leading men in this production in Orson Welles and George Brent. Welles, so often prone to bellicose overplaying of roles that require a bit of restraint, here delivers a beautiful modulated performance as Claudette's first husband who seemingly has come back from the grave. His scenes after he has returned to Colbert's home are wonderful and full of tension as to whether he will reveal his real identity. The conclusion of the film is a tour de force for Welles as he decides to sacrifice his own potential happiness and to remain a mystery to the family and tells Colbert that "Tomorrow is forever and not to look back to a romantised past". George Brent, so often stiff on screen here delivers one of his best performances as the man who has loved Claudette through two world wars and provides her with the home and family she craves so much. He is entirely believable and warm in his playing and he and Colbert reveal a wonderful chemistry in their playing together. Natalie Wood also makes a rare childhood appearance in this film as an Austrian orphan, the daughter of the doctor who saved Welles's life but was killed by the Nazi's, who Welles adapts and brings to America. She is a delight in her scenes and you can see the tremendous acting talent that she possessed even at this early age. Richard Long playes Welles's and Colbert's son who doesn't know the identity of his real father and brings great depth to his playing of the treasured son who comes into conflict with Colbert over his decision to join the fighting early in WW2 thus causing history to repeat itself.
"Tomorrow Is Forever" can be regarded as a real tear drenced drama for the matinee crowd however its worth goes way beyond that. It covers many issues just as relevant today such as those about the human cost of war, the issue of whether we should involve ourselves in others problems and whether we should allow our past experiences to rule how we behave. It is a beautifully put together drama full of rich performances that really stay in your mind. I'm quite surprised that this wonderful film is not better remembered today. I sense that it has been forgotten because of the more famous roles that all the main performers have undertaken. Claudette Colbert in particular is totally awe inspiring in her dramatic delivery of the tortured young bride who has been robbed of her life and spends a lifetime trying to recapture it. She will have you alternately crying, laughing and saying "bravo" up to the wonderous finale.
I cannot recommend "Tomorrow Is Forever" highly enough. For all those who enjoy well acted dramas with fine writing, a non preaching message and performers delivering often unexpectedly restrained acting work, none come finer than the anti-war "Tomorrow Is Forever".
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