Week Forty-Seven
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"Tomorrow's Youth" 1934 Tommy on left |
MOVIE NAME: TOMORROW'S YOUTH
STUDIO: MONOGRAM PICTURES
PRODUCER: BEN VERSCHLEISER
DIRECTOR: CHARLES LAMONT
DATE: 1934
TYPE: DOMESTIC, DRAMA
CAST:
DICKIE MOORE as Junior Hall , MARTHA SLEEPER as Ellen Hall, JOHN MILJAN as Thomas Hall , FRANKLIN PANGBORN as Thorton, PAUL HURST as Detective , GLORIA SHEA as Jane Holsworth, JAN DARWELL as Mary O'Brien , BARBARA BEDFORD as Miss Booth, TOMMY BUPP, new friend of Junior (not credited)
SOURCE: A F I, Catalog of Feature Films 1931-1940
STORY: When Ellen Hall deduces that her husband Thomas, a New York lawyer, has become involved with gold digger Jane Holsworth, she takes her son junior and returns to her hometown, Joinsville, Indiana. There, attorney Jim Lawton convinces Ellen to file for a separation instead of a divorce to avoid scandal. Junior settles in at school in Joinsville, but after six months, he returns to his father as part of a joint custody arrangement. Junior's teachers are concerned about how the change in his homelife will affect him, and Junior is unhappy about leaving his mother. Because Thomas is too busy to come himself, Junior is met at the New York train station by Mary O'Brien, his father's cook, and his new tutor Mr. Thorton. Thorton sets up a regimented life for Junior and, except for a daily drive in the park, keeps him confined to his father's estate. In an effort to win Thomas' affection, Jane tries to ingratiate herself with Junior, but Junior is unimpressed. During one of his rides, a lonely Junior runs away to find other children, and Thomas notifies the police when kidnapping is suspected. Eventually, Junior returns to the estate with his new friends, but is warned by his father not to leave again without permission. As a determined Junior tries to climb the estate walls to play with his friends, he falls and is badly injured. After Junior is operated on, his mother arrives in New York to care for him. Worried that Thomas might still be in love with his wife, Jane talks to Ellen, giving her the impression that Thomas does not have any interest in his son. Consequently, Ellen decides to seek a divorce and sole custody of her son. At a well-publicized trial, Junior is put on the stand, but refuses to answer any questions. The judge then clears the courtroom, and Junior, alone with his parents, asks them whether they really want a divorce. They say no and reconcile with each other, and Junior looks forward to the dismissal of his hated tutor.
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