Tonight's Movie: I"ll Cry Tomorrow (1955) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Susan Hayward was Oscar-nominated for her role as singer Lillian Roth in MGM's I'LL CRY TOMORROW (1955).

The movie was just released in a great-looking widescreen Blu-ray print by the Warner Archive Collection.

The movie tracks Roth's life from her childhood (played by Carole Ann Campbell) when she is pushed into performing by her stage mother Katie (Jo Van Fleet).

Lillian's plans to marry her childhood sweetheart David (played as a child by David Kasday and as an adult by Ray Danton) are dashed when David dies before they wed. From that point on, Lillian's professional successes are offset by a pair of bad marriages (to Don Taylor and Richard Conte) and her increasing reliance on alcohol.

Eventually a suicidal Lillian walks in the door at Alcoholics Anonymous, where she's treated with understanding by Burt (Eddie Albert) and Selma (Margo, Albert's real-life wife). Lillian still has bad times ahead as she withdraws from alcohol, but she gradually regains hope of living a normal life.

Susan Hayward is outstanding as Roth, including doing her own singing. That said, while I'm glad I finally saw her in this film, 119 minutes is a long time to watch someone's death spiral, with a relatively short section of the film focused on her eventual turnaround.

Part of the film's problem is that only her initial romantic relationship with the ill-fated David is sympathetic and interesting. The movie reunited Hayward with Richard Conte, her costar in HOUSE OF STRANGERS (1949), but while their chemistry in the earlier film was off the charts, I didn't find them believable together here.

Conte's character, a fellow drinker, seemed more a tool to help illustrate Roth's continuing decline than a fully fleshed-out person. Watching Hayward's drunk scenes with both Conte and Taylor was sad and not very entertaining.

As a particular fan of both Hayward and Conte I'm glad to have checked this title off my viewing list, but I doubt I would want to see this emotionally draining film again. Albert is extremely likeable as Burt, but by the time he appeared late in the film I was exhausted!

I'll take a moment to note that like many movie biopics, I'LL CRY TOMORROW plays with the facts. Although the screenplay by Helen Deutsch and Jay Richard Kennedy was based on Lillian Roth's memoir (cowritten with Gerold Frank and Mike Connolly), it omits much of Roth's life story including additional marriages.

In some ways the film is quite polished, including Oscar-winning costumes by the great Helen Rose, yet it's odd that despite the passage of decades, the hairstyles and costumes don't change.

Setting aside the issues noted above, I'd describe I'LL CRY TOMORROW as generally well made and performed; a viewer's enjoyment will depend on tolerance for a sad, sad story.

I'LL CRY TOMORROW was directed by Daniel Mann and filmed in widescreen black and white by Arthur E. Arling.

The supporting cast includes Virginia Gregg, Veda Ann Borg, Robert Dix, Don "Red" Barry, and Tol Avery.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray print is excellent, with strong sound. Disc extras include the trailer; a 20-minute short starring Roth, STORY CONFERENCE (1934); excerpts from the MGM PARADE TV show; a newsreel; and a song selection menu.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Amazon Store and other online retailers.

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