Tomorrow's Children (1934)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Crane Wilbur

Writers:

Wallace Thurman (story)
Wallace Thurman (writer) ...

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A DRAMA OF HUMAN STERILIZATION - IS THE PRICE TO GREAT (original print ad - all caps, with misspelling of "too" and lack of question mark)

Plot:

A young woman wishes to marry her boyfriend and raise a family, but because her own family has been...

Plot Keywords:

Sterilization | Doctor | Social | Nurse

Cast

Diane Sinclair	...	Alice Mason
Donald Douglas	...	Dr. Brooks
John Preston	...	Dr. Crosby
Carlyle Moore Jr.	...	Jim Baker
Sterling Holloway	...	Dr. Dorsey
W. Messenger Bellis	...	Dr. McIntyre
Hyram A. Hoover	...	Spike (as Hiram Hoover)
Constance Kent	...	Nurse
Lewis Gambart	...	Jeff
Crane Wilbur	...	Father O'Brien
Arthur Wanzer	...	Mr. Mason
Sarah Padden	...	Mrs. Mason

Also Known As:

Sterilization (USA) (working title)
The Unborn (UK)

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Bryan Foy Productions

Trivia:

The priest who discovers the truth about Alice's true bloodline is played by director Crane Wilbur, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

Past imperfect

Alice Mason (Diane Sinclair) sure has her share of problems. She's the only one in her family who has a job; mom and dad spend the day guzzling cheap hootch and Dad won't even help clean the house because, he says, "That's no job for a man." Alice would like to marry her truck driver boyfriend Jim (Donald Douglas) but that would mean leaving her family alone. A well meaning but misguided doctor reports to the court that Alice's family is made up of "drunks, cripples and idiots" and suggests that the whole family be ordered by the court to be sterilised to prevent them for siring any more societal misfits like themselves.

Science fiction? A look into a possible Orwellian future? A warning against a Totalitarian government? Sorry but this is all true! When this movie was made 28 states had laws allowing mandatory sterilisation of criminals and people the courts deemed "unfit".

Okay now back to the review. As always the government is far from perfect. A drooling, hollow eyed psychotic is spared having to go under the knife even after he nearly assaults a nurse. Why? Because his dad is rich and slips the judge a big role of bills! Sadly Alice has no one to intercede for her except her boyfriend. Lucikly Jim learns an important clue about Alice from her drunken mother. Ah, but will he be in time to save her from the operation? For cryin' out loud Jim, drive faster!

Director Crane Wilbur was the brave hero in the action serial THE PERILS OF PAULINE (1914). He began to divide his time between acting and directing and this Poverty Row short is one of his efforts. He also went on to direct the 1959 remake of THE BAT; this one, starring Vincent Price, is the best remembered of all the versions.

Comedian Sterling Holloway pops up in a supporting role as an overworked intern whose efforts to take a much needed nap are constantly being spoiled. A year earlier Mr. Holloway had appeared in a musical number in the multi-starred comedy INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. He would go on to be the voice of Winnie The Pooh in several made for TV cartoons.

Sure TOMORROW'S CHILDREN is exploitation at its scariest but it's also a look into a dark aspect of past society.