There's Always Tomorrow, from 1956, is a romantic drama starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, and Joan Bennett. Produced by Ross Hunter, and directed by Douglas Sirk, this film was the final of four pairings between Stanwyck and MacMurray. They had previously worked together in Remember the Night (1940), Double Indemnity (1944), and The Moonlighter (1953). This film is a remake of a 1934 film, also entitled There's Always Tomorrow, starring Frank Morgan and Binnie Barnes.
Toy manufacturer Cliff Groves (Fred MacMurray) is feeling a bit overlooked in life. His wife Marion (Joan Bennett) and their three children have their own lives, and there just doesn't seem to be room for him. In fact, the children seem to be Marion's life...no matter what Cliff wants to do, she cannot tear herself away from the children. Though it is Marion's birthday and Cliff had planned to surprise her with dinner and theatre tickets, Marion is unable to do that. Their youngest child has a ballet recital that evening, and she absolutely will not disappoint the child by not attending. With his son and older daughter also having their own plans, Cliff is left home alone, with the theatre tickets about to go to waste.
At that point, an old acquaintance stops by for a visit. Norma Vale (Barbara Stanwyck), a fashion designer who used to work for Cliff and who left town due to her unrequited love for him, is in town on business, and at Cliff's suggestion, the two of them make an evening of it. They have a great time together---strictly platonically.
Later that week, Cliff had hoped that his wife would accompany him on a business trip; as it turns out, though, the sprained ankle of their youngest child changes Marion's plans. Telling Cliff to go on without her, Marion, once again, puts the children ahead of Cliff.
When Cliff arrives at the conference center, he is notified that his business appointment cancelled on him; at the same time, he discovers that Norma is registered at the same hotel. Since they are both there, Cliff decides to stay on, and he and Norma spend the next two days together...swimming, dancing, riding, laughing, talking. While it is all very above-board, Cliff's son, who has driven down to the conference center himself, discovers them and gets a wrong impression of things.
Though things with Norma and Cliff didn't begin with the intention of falling in love, that is exactly what happens. After realizing that Norma has been in love with him all these years, Cliff acknowledges his love for her as well. The two of them are forced to make hard choices about what the future can be for them. Meanwhile, Cliff's son, determined to get Norma out of his dad's life, is watching Cliff's every move. How it all plays out is the focus of the remainder of this film.
While I enjoyed this movie, it really didn't touch me the way other Ross Hunter and/or Douglas Sirk films have done. Ross Hunter produced such sobbers as Madame X, Imitation of Life, and Back Street, and Sirk directed Imitation of Life, All That Heaven Allows, and Magnificent Obsession; all those films moved me deeply and were definite tearjerkers; There's Always Tomorrow, however, just didn't ignite that same fire. Oh, I enjoyed the movie, but I was disappointed that it didn't touch my heart like the other films did. Still, though, Barbara Stanwyck, one of my absolute favorite actresses, gave her usual stellar performance. Plus, she and Fred MacMurray worked well together, which made for an enjoyable film.
This film is out on DVD, as part of the 6-film Barbara Stanwyck Collection. It should be quite easy to track down. Happy viewing!!
