Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Viña Delmar (screen play)
Josephine Lawrence (based on a novel by)
(more)

Release Date:

7 October 1937 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

An elderly couple are forced to separate when they lose their house and none of their five children will take both parents in.

Plot Keywords:

Elderly | Retirement Home | Second Honeymoon | Eavesdropping | Car Salesman

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Victor Moore	...	Barkley Cooper
Beulah Bondi	...	Lucy Cooper
Fay Bainter	...	Anita Cooper
Thomas Mitchell	...	George Cooper
Porter Hall	...	Harvey Chase
Barbara Read	...	Rhoda Cooper
Maurice Moscovitch	...	Max Rubens
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Cora Payne
Minna Gombell	...	Nellie Chase
Ray Mayer	...	Robert Cooper
Ralph Remley	...	Bill Payne
Louise Beavers	...	Mamie
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Doctor
Gene Morgan	...	Carlton Gorman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Granville Bates	...	Mr. Hunter (uncredited)
William Begg	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ferike Boros	...	Mrs. Sarah Rubens (uncredited)
Don Brodie	...	Man at Employment Agency (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Movie Theatre Doorman (uncredited)
Fritzi Brunette	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bobby Caldwell	...	Boy (uncredited)
Avril Cameron	...	Mrs. McKenzie (uncredited)
Ethel Clayton	...	Customer (uncredited)
Helen Davis	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Sidney De Gray	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Bridge Player (uncredited)
Ellen Drew	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Mr. Dale (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Dell Henderson	...	Ed Weldon - Auto Salesman (uncredited)
Mitchell Ingraham	...	Bridge Player (uncredited)
Alice Keating	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ralph Lewis	...	Business Man (uncredited)
Dorothy Lloyd	...	Bird Imitator (uncredited)
Nick Lukats	...	Boy Friend (uncredited)
Leo McCarey	...	Passerby / Man in Overcoat / Carpet Sweeper (uncredited)
Kitty McHugh	...	Head Usherette (uncredited)
Don McKinney	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Lee Millar	...	Animal and Bird Imitator (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Letter Carrier (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Richard Neill	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Joseph North	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
John Preston	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Guest in Vogard Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Francis Sayles	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Louise Seidel	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Phillips Smalley	...	Business Man (uncredited)
Paul Stanton	...	Mr. Horton - Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Bernard Suss	...	Bridge Player (uncredited)
Rosemary Theby	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Lelah Tyler	...	Bridge Player (uncredited)
Ruth Warren	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Gloria Williams	...	Bridge Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits
Viña Delmar		(screen play)
Josephine Lawrence		(based on a novel by)
Helen Leary		(play) and
Nolan Leary		(play)
Leo Robin		poem: "Are You Afraid" (uncredited)

Produced by
Leo McCarey	....	producer (uncredited)
Adolph Zukor	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
George Antheil
Victor Young

Cinematography by
William C. Mellor		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
LeRoy Stone		(edited by)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Bernard Herzbrun

Set Decoration by
A.E. Freudeman		(interior decorations)

Sound Department
Don Johnson	....	sound recordist
Walter Oberst	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects

Music Department
Boris Morros	....	musical director

Other crew
Adolph Zukor	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (A Leo McCarey Production)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1937) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• Criterion Collection, The (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Eureka Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Silver Screen Archive (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min | West Germany:85 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3236) | UK:U (DVD rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Director Leo McCarey made this film after the death of his father.

Goofs:

Continuity: George's position changes from erect to leaning on the table when he asks his wife about bridge and his mother.

Quotes:

Lucy Cooper:A man and a maid stood hand in hand; bound by a tiny wedding band. Before them lay the uncertain years that promised joy and, maybe tears. "Is she afraid?" thought the man of the maid. "Darling," he said in a tender voice, "Tell me. Do you regret your choice...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Tomorrow, Yesterday, and Today (2010) (V)

Soundtrack:

When a St. Louis Woman Comes Down to New Orleans

An honest-to-God tearjerker...

An elderly couple lose their home and their grown children don't want them around, so where can they turn? After a creaky start, this thoughtful film becomes absorbing and very touching. It thankfully never resorts to feel-good measures: the oldsters are not painted as saints (in fact, Beulah Bondi's "Ma" is realistically nagging and nosy) and their kids are completely selfish (which is entirely believable). The picture has one of the most haunting endings that I can recall, and it's even more powerful to consider how timely it all is (and how this situation still rears its ugly head today). An emotionally gripping, wistful, memorable movie. ***1/2 from ****