Tomorrow is Another Day (1951)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Tomorrow is Another Day (1951) – F. Feist

Steve Cochran plays Bill Clark who has just been released from prison after serving 18 years (entering at age 13 as the youngest ever murderer in his state, we soon learn). He’s lost and confused given how much has changed; the treatment he receives in his hometown makes him leave for New York City. His luck is no better there – he throws himself on taxi-dancer Cathy/Cay Higgins (Ruth Roman), a tough bleached-blonde who finally relents to show him around the city.  Given this is film noir, bad things happen and soon they are on the run. This first half of the film feels genuinely edgy or at least a bit desperate before the film settles down to something resembling domesticity, albeit on a shoestring (the lettuce harvesting scene is startling). Bill never quite loses his wariness although we know he’s a decent human being; on the other hand, Cathy seems to transform from hard-edged to something much softer, in line with her move from blonde to brunette.  Although the film never really gets its edge back (and concludes in ludicrous fashion), there’s enough here to chew on for fans of the genre.