My 27 movie A-Z film-a-thon: Day 14
Day 14: M
Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
A minor tragedy and heartfelt romance wrapped in one package, Make Way for Tomorrow is a little bit of Casablanca mixed with Tokyo Story. And yet it predates both.
The setup is a little like a horror story. Barkley (Pa) is an elderly man who hasn’t worked in four years—he’s simply considered too old. He and his wife, Lucy (Ma), secretly mortgaged their house, hoping some sort of work would turn up. They don’t tell their kids until they are about to be homeless next Tuesday.
This scenario may be a little extreme, and yet it is a very familiar fear for most people. Luckily, Ma and Pa’s kids are very understanding—at first. They quickly come up with a plan. One daughter says she has room for them to live with her, but needs six months to warm her husband up to the idea. Temporarily, Ma is to live with one child and Pa is to live with another. The first daughter’s husband, it turns out, is not so keen on the idea.
Did you know people used to teach bridge? Like, to an entire classroom’s worth of students? Bridge used to be that popular. She doesn’t just teach the basics—this is college-level theory and strategy. Bridge mattered. There were national competitions, and even wives didn’t see it as just a social pastime. Most people took it that seriously in the ‘30s. Why have I never heard of this outside of this movie?
So Ma spoils the bridge class. Ma spoils a secret romance for the granddaughter. Ma even spoils movies for strangers on the street. She does this—like many elderly women—accidentally and innocently. She becomes aware of her presence as a household nuisance, but she doesn’t know how to be less of a bother. She finds a letter from the “Home for Aged Women.” Knowing her children likely inquired about sending her away, Ma sulks but then dutifully volunteers, pretending like it is only her idea.
What is happening to Pa in all this? It turns out Pa isn’t just old; he is sickly old. At least, he is living in the harsh winter climates of NYC. One of his kids lives in California. So, Pa is to move thousands of miles away. Ma stays behind, never telling her husband she plans on moving into the Home for Aged Women, worrying that the stress might kill him.
Make Way for Tomorrow is sad—but in a quiet, bittersweet way. It helps sort through the noise of day-to-day life to focus and remind us what really matters. The grandparents truly were in love, and the children *know* they are horrible people. Ma and Pa are very lucky to have their family, though. And they are very lucky to have each other.
Before Pa leaves for California, the two walk through the park reminiscing about their honeymoon and all the good times they had together. I’m reading The Grapes of Wrath, which takes place at almost the exact same time. I was worried for Ma and Pa—that their lives were destined for similarly tragic ends. But they’re not. At least, not entirely. The effect of Make Way for Tomorrow is melancholic but sweetly romantic. Make Way for Tomorrow is the perfect Valentine’s Day card.
9.5/10
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