1937 / 91m - USA
Drama
1.0*/5.0*
Make Way for Tomorrow poster

Watches

April 10, 2021

1.0*/5.0*

McCarey is well known for directing comedies, if you read up on Make Way for Tomorrow you may notice it's often categorized as one. I didn't really get that from this film though. Sure enough there are lighter moments, but it's mostly a drama about generational differences. And not a very pleasant one at that.

I even got flashbacks to Bergman's Wild Strawberries, though McCarey's aesthetic and tone isn't quite as highbrow. But the contemplation and whining of two old people who are separated by their children because they're in financial trouble is something that would've been right up Bergman's alley.

The performances are pretty weak, the characters are cardboard and the drama is either timeless or chewed up, depending on your personal preference. For me, it was clearly the latter. A long-winded drama that felt a lot longer that its 90-minute runtime would suggest, certainly not my favorite McCarey.