I found this little gem buried in one of those 50-movie megapacks of public domain movies put out by Treeline Films; you can probably find it on any number of DVDs from the PD houses. It is not something a viewer is going to actively seek out, it apparently has no reputation that brings it to the attention of cinephiles, and that's a shame. Released in 1940 by Academy Productions, which disappeared soon after, (If anyone knows what happened to it, if it possibly merged with other poverty-row studios in the 40's, I'd like to hear about it); the film does disguise its low-budget origins expertly behind atmospheric photography and skillfull editing and direction.
The story begins with Milton, Chadwick and O'Brien, wealthy but friendless owners of a engineering firm, living (together!) in a mansion, presumably in New York. It's Christmas Eve, and through a naive plot device end up inviting two young strangers to have dinner with them. The girl works at a pediatric clinic, the boy is from Texas and apparently broke and wandering the streets. They are both easily convinced to staying for dinner despite being lured into the mansion under questionable circumstances, and she ends up letting the young stranger walk her home. Such is the sensibility of a movie from 1940.
Back then, we still had the Great Depression, as uneasiness over possible war made a movie-goer look for a positive feeling towards humanity. If it can be argued (and I think I will) that 1939's "Wizard of Oz" pandered to desire for isolationism ("There's no place like home"), then 1940's "Beyond Tomorrow" offers reasons to go out of your way, even over-extend yourself to help another human being in need. In fact, I would recommend showing this film in a double feature with "Oz."
This movie does this in an almost film noir style (darkness helps disguise the limited budget and optical effects). All the characters are come from easily identified stereotypes, and the use of familiar character actors, including the sublime Maria Ouspenskaya, creates a visual short-hand so we recognize who they are immediately. The three old gentlemen all come from the same font, but each has their different origins and characteristics to portray distinct human qualities. The most interesting is Harry Carey's George, troubled by a dark deed in in his past that calls into question his admission through the Pearly Gates.
When the three old codgers are killed in plane crash, their ghosts remain here for a while to finish guiding their young couple through the standard plot: They love each other, he is tempted by success and a bad woman, a jealous husband (it could be her ex-, that's what she said, and in 1940 we would have taken that at face value, but in 2004 I would expect that to be a lie); he needs to be shown that the good girl is one he should be with.
The side story regarding the two Russian emigres Josef and Madame Tanya is deftly sketched in with a few key shots of family photos, a war medal and a conversation about their past, but also fleshes out our knowledge about the three men whose generosity enables them to survive. In true stereotypical old-lady-from-Europe form, Mme. Tanya presages the airplane crash, but her warnings are ignored. She is also the most sensitive to the presence of the three spirits in the house.
The script is credited to two women, Mildred Cram and Adele Comandini. Ms. Cram was something of specialist in the extremely sentimental tearjerkers, her best known story idea being used in 1957's "An Affair To Remember." Ms. Comandini was active from the silents right up until the 1992 TV-remake of "Christmas in Connecticut," but none of her efforts seem to be as weird or fantastic as "Beyond Tomorrow."
If you decide to sit and watch this film, you will enter into an agreement with the characters that the over-the-top sentimentality and naivete is OK, we can bend some rules of logic, and that we can learn something simple: It's perfectly fine to help anyone without question, even forego your own trip to Heaven.
The story begins with Milton, Chadwick and O'Brien, wealthy but friendless owners of a engineering firm, living (together!) in a mansion, presumably in New York. It's Christmas Eve, and through a naive plot device end up inviting two young strangers to have dinner with them. The girl works at a pediatric clinic, the boy is from Texas and apparently broke and wandering the streets. They are both easily convinced to staying for dinner despite being lured into the mansion under questionable circumstances, and she ends up letting the young stranger walk her home. Such is the sensibility of a movie from 1940.
Back then, we still had the Great Depression, as uneasiness over possible war made a movie-goer look for a positive feeling towards humanity. If it can be argued (and I think I will) that 1939's "Wizard of Oz" pandered to desire for isolationism ("There's no place like home"), then 1940's "Beyond Tomorrow" offers reasons to go out of your way, even over-extend yourself to help another human being in need. In fact, I would recommend showing this film in a double feature with "Oz."
This movie does this in an almost film noir style (darkness helps disguise the limited budget and optical effects). All the characters are come from easily identified stereotypes, and the use of familiar character actors, including the sublime Maria Ouspenskaya, creates a visual short-hand so we recognize who they are immediately. The three old gentlemen all come from the same font, but each has their different origins and characteristics to portray distinct human qualities. The most interesting is Harry Carey's George, troubled by a dark deed in in his past that calls into question his admission through the Pearly Gates.
When the three old codgers are killed in plane crash, their ghosts remain here for a while to finish guiding their young couple through the standard plot: They love each other, he is tempted by success and a bad woman, a jealous husband (it could be her ex-, that's what she said, and in 1940 we would have taken that at face value, but in 2004 I would expect that to be a lie); he needs to be shown that the good girl is one he should be with.
The side story regarding the two Russian emigres Josef and Madame Tanya is deftly sketched in with a few key shots of family photos, a war medal and a conversation about their past, but also fleshes out our knowledge about the three men whose generosity enables them to survive. In true stereotypical old-lady-from-Europe form, Mme. Tanya presages the airplane crash, but her warnings are ignored. She is also the most sensitive to the presence of the three spirits in the house.
The script is credited to two women, Mildred Cram and Adele Comandini. Ms. Cram was something of specialist in the extremely sentimental tearjerkers, her best known story idea being used in 1957's "An Affair To Remember." Ms. Comandini was active from the silents right up until the 1992 TV-remake of "Christmas in Connecticut," but none of her efforts seem to be as weird or fantastic as "Beyond Tomorrow."
If you decide to sit and watch this film, you will enter into an agreement with the characters that the over-the-top sentimentality and naivete is OK, we can bend some rules of logic, and that we can learn something simple: It's perfectly fine to help anyone without question, even forego your own trip to Heaven.