It Happened Tomorrow

Released May 28, 1944

1h 24m

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

List

71%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

68%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

What would happen if someone could get tomorrow's newspaper headlines today? This charming period comedy tells the story of a reporter (Dick Powell) who wishes he could scoop his colleagues by knowing about events before they occur. When a mysterious old man gives him the news a day in advance, his life is turned upside down. Racing to prevent a headline predicting his own death, he gets mixed up with a beautiful fortune teller (Linda Darnell) and her overprotective uncle (Jack Oakie)

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James Agee

TIME Magazine

By & large the simple comic pleasures of the picture lose themselves in intricate artifice, until the last half-hour.

Feb 27, 2018

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A premise that sounds perfect for The Twilight Zone.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 13, 2021

Full Review

Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

Dick Powell and Linda Darnell star in this time-twisting romance about a journalist who sees the next day's newspaper and tries to use this foreknowledge to his advantage.

Rated: 3.5/5

May 31, 2021

Full Review

Christopher Lloyd

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

More a daffy comedy than a true newspaper movie.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 21, 2011

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

The premise illustrates the director's view of his medium as a playground of visions

Feb 13, 2010

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Meticulously crafted nonsense.

Rated: B-

Mar 8, 2009

Full Review

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Steve D

Cute idea too thin in practice.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

robert m

Fun madcap fantasy from the 40s.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

martin a

A delightful story about a journalist who receives the news a day ahead of the world, but it brings him no luck, except it manages to win him the girl of his dreams! A charming vintage story

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

kevin w

Like one of those "cute" Twilight Zone episodes, this imagines the complications if a soul received the daily paper one day early. "Zany" antics unfold. Television was right around the corner, which would kill the box office for this kind of thing, which is too long for a movie. The major flaw of the piece wasn't apparent when it first appeared but now is like a thumb in your eye: it plays like a corny teevee show, missing only the corny canned laughter (which used to be included, I hate to say it, mainly because some of the older audiences were too dumb to know when to laugh and so were prodded like dumb animals). Just like the old teevee shows a lot of the comic bits are repeated over and over. Jack Oakie's eye-rolling is simply out-of-control. Dick Powell is a little old for his character while Linda Darnell is ravishing but as interesting as a biscuit. Meh.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Fun post-musical, pre-film noir Dick Powell flick

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I wanted to see the original my favorite television show of the 1990s. To my surprise the movie theater from 1944 was a class better than the tv series. The scenario is brilliant! Mysterious editorial worker gives the young journalist newspaper in which are described the future of the event. Journalist uses it to write articles in advance. Thanks to this successful and wins the heart of a beautiful woman. But this is the beginning of his troubles. The story is extremely logical, of course, within the context of the events on the screen. For example, the Hero provides for bank robbery, but police suspect him of complicity, the scenario is very consistent: the events described in the newspaper must always to happen, although not always in the way they understand it. The discovery of how the hero read about his death, though not actually died, calls the admiration for cunning writers. The film is extremely funny, especially amused me supporting the role of Jack Oakie that great played Uncle overly child welfare for his niece. Very magical figure is an old Pop who handed the lead hero tomorrow's newspaper. It seems a mysterious spirit that has power over time. I have a feeling that in some strange way survived all these era, about which he talked at the beginning of the movie, from the beginning of creation press. It's a symbolic personification the history of journalism. However, when the whole mood and funny scenes, the most important thing is the message of the movie-not worth it to know your future-better yourself to discover what has prepared us, then we will avoid unnecessary stress, and you may find that the life will make us beautiful a surprise. Great comedy with elements fabulous and a touch of romanticism. Worth a watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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René Clair

Director

Dick Powell

Lawrence "Larry" Stevens

Linda Darnell

Sylvia Smith

Jack Oakie

Uncle Oscar Smith

Edgar Kennedy

Inspector Mulrooney

John Philliber

Pop Benson

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Synopsis

What would happen if someone could get tomorrow's newspaper headlines today? This charming period comedy tells the story of a reporter (Dick Powell) who wishes he could scoop his colleagues by knowing about events before they occur. When a mysterious old man gives him the news a day in advance, his life is turned upside down. Racing to prevent a headline predicting his own death, he gets mixed up with a beautiful fortune teller (Linda Darnell) and her overprotective uncle (Jack Oakie)

Director: René Clair
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 28, 1944, Original
Release Date (DVD): Jun 11, 2007
Runtime: 1h 24m

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