I always thought Marian Nixon had it in her - she was always better than her material - but was never able to rise to star status. She did have a memorable role in "Young Nowheres" about a love affair between an elevator boy (Richard Barthelmas) and a chamber maid but after that it was back to "sweet young things" in "Scarlet Pages", "Ex Flame", and "College Lovers" (all 1930). She had always been a second string Janet Gaynor and when Fox signed her as just that, she was even given a role rejected by the star herself - "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". So it was no surprise that she was teamed up with Charles Farrell for "After Tomorrow".
Pete (Charles Farrell) and Sidney (Marian Nixon) have been going together for three years. If you wonder why they haven't taken the plunge (marriage), their opening scene will tell you. They sound as though they haven't a clue - the dialogue is so trite and only Nixon tries to rise above it. But there are other problems - Pete's mother, Mrs Piper's (Josephine Hull) possessiveness and Sidney's mother, Elsie's (Minna Gombell) greed. Elsie is bitter at the hand life has dealt her, married to a down at heel insurance salesman, who cannot keep up with her extravagant spending!! Unknown to everyone, she is having an affair with the boarder and plans to run away with him. Poor Sidney, she is up against it on both sides - coming home and having to do the chores her mother has neglected and then being accused of monopolizing Pete's affection by his mother.
Mrs. Piper is controlling - and odd!!! After confessing she has always guided Pete in matters of sex, birth control and "urges" - suddenly she is no longer a figure of fun. At one point Sidney cries "I can't bear it anymore" - and it is hard for the viewers as well, as things go from bad to worse. On the eve of Sidney's wedding Elsie is forced to confess - she had never wanted Sidney and has endured a loveless marriage where she always felt like an outsider. When Willie (William Collier Snr.) finds out, he has a heart attack and the marriage is put on hold yet again as Pete and Sidney's "marriage fund" is used to pay Willie's medical bills.
"The Silver Cord" had had a respectable Broadway run in 1927 and paved the way for a spate of "malevolent mothers". Even though Josephine Hull tried to prove how deadly some mothers could be she came off seeming more like Beryl Mercer in a grumpy mood. She was not believable. Another person who was not believable was Charles Farrell. I agree that he obviously achieved stardom on the coat-tails of Janet Gaynor and proved with his role as Pete that he could never be accused of being an exciting talent. At one point he says "I'm Pete - the "IT" man" - don't make me laugh!!! Minna Gombell, on the other hand was just so good in everything she did - she was usually the friend of the heroine or, in the case of "Hello Sister", the not so friendly friend, but whatever film she appeared in, she usually showed up the less than stellar acting abilities of the people around her.
Recommended.
Pete (Charles Farrell) and Sidney (Marian Nixon) have been going together for three years. If you wonder why they haven't taken the plunge (marriage), their opening scene will tell you. They sound as though they haven't a clue - the dialogue is so trite and only Nixon tries to rise above it. But there are other problems - Pete's mother, Mrs Piper's (Josephine Hull) possessiveness and Sidney's mother, Elsie's (Minna Gombell) greed. Elsie is bitter at the hand life has dealt her, married to a down at heel insurance salesman, who cannot keep up with her extravagant spending!! Unknown to everyone, she is having an affair with the boarder and plans to run away with him. Poor Sidney, she is up against it on both sides - coming home and having to do the chores her mother has neglected and then being accused of monopolizing Pete's affection by his mother.
Mrs. Piper is controlling - and odd!!! After confessing she has always guided Pete in matters of sex, birth control and "urges" - suddenly she is no longer a figure of fun. At one point Sidney cries "I can't bear it anymore" - and it is hard for the viewers as well, as things go from bad to worse. On the eve of Sidney's wedding Elsie is forced to confess - she had never wanted Sidney and has endured a loveless marriage where she always felt like an outsider. When Willie (William Collier Snr.) finds out, he has a heart attack and the marriage is put on hold yet again as Pete and Sidney's "marriage fund" is used to pay Willie's medical bills.
"The Silver Cord" had had a respectable Broadway run in 1927 and paved the way for a spate of "malevolent mothers". Even though Josephine Hull tried to prove how deadly some mothers could be she came off seeming more like Beryl Mercer in a grumpy mood. She was not believable. Another person who was not believable was Charles Farrell. I agree that he obviously achieved stardom on the coat-tails of Janet Gaynor and proved with his role as Pete that he could never be accused of being an exciting talent. At one point he says "I'm Pete - the "IT" man" - don't make me laugh!!! Minna Gombell, on the other hand was just so good in everything she did - she was usually the friend of the heroine or, in the case of "Hello Sister", the not so friendly friend, but whatever film she appeared in, she usually showed up the less than stellar acting abilities of the people around her.
Recommended.