The Morning After (1974)

A successful public relations man's refusal to admit his alcoholism jeopardizes his career, his family and his life.

Director:

Richard T. Heffron

Writers:

Richard Matheson (teleplay), Jack B. Weiner (novel) (as Jack Weiner)

Stars:

Dick Van Dyke, Lynn Carlin, Don Porter

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dick Van Dyke	...	Charlie Lester
Lynn Carlin	...	Fran Lester
Don Porter	...	Rudy King
Linda Lavin	...	Toni
Jewel Blanch	...	Karen Lester
Sam Gilman	...	Fisherman
Joshua Bryant	...	Dr. Emmett
Richard Derr	...	Dr. Tillman
Robert Hover	...	Frank Lester
Carolyn Ames	...	Carol Lester
Doug Johnson	...	Stewart
Dermott Downs	...	Danny Lester
Jim Raymond	...	Mr. Doherty (as Jim B. Raymond)
Penny Kunard	...	Mrs. Doherty
Sandy Ward	...	Telly Curran

Storyline

A successful public relations man's refusal to admit his alcoholism jeopardizes his career, his family and his life.

---

Plot Keywords:

alcoholism | alcoholic | husband wife relationship | based on novel | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 1974 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wolper Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In his memoirs, Dick Van Dyke called his performance "one of the best and most powerful pieces of acting in my career, as well as one of the most personal."

---

Quotes

Rudy King: [after Charlie has attended an important meeting while hung over] I'm not going to mince words, Charlie. We've known each other too long for that. You were a disgrace this morning; I can still smell the liquor on your breath. I don't know how many of those men knew you were hung over, but I certainly did.

---

Soundtracks

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
(uncredited)
Music by Ernest Ball
Lyrics by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff
Sung by Dick Van Dyke, Lynn Carlin, Penny Kunard and Jim Raymond

User Reviews

a classic

I cannot say enough good things about this film. I guess it is the mark of a classic that a film that was made almost thirty years ago could still touch people today. Dick Van Dyke deserved an Emmy for his mind-blowing performance as a tragic alcoholic. This movie has the grimmest ending you could imagine but it makes it a better film and a cut above the typical "disease of the week" fare tv has so often served. What is so amazing to me is that Dick Van Dyke had never played a dramatic part before he took on this one. He has played two other dramatic parts I remember well, he was a priest accused of murder in The Runner Stumbles and played another alcoholic in an HBO presentation of The Country Girl. Its so ironic that all three of these fine performances that he gave are now almost impossible to see. I have gotten e-mails from people after I got my copy of TMA asking me how they could get it because they have family members who are alcohlics. All right,go to "Google" on your computer. It is the most effective search engine and type in Weird World Of 70's Cinema Video Library. They have many, many rare videos that I didn't even know existed and The Morning After is one of them. Thats how you can get a copy. The e-mail address of this site is [e-mail]. A man named Fitzgerald owns the site. He will gladly send you a copy at a very reasonable price.