Now and Forever (1934)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Melville Baker (story)
Jack Kirkland (story)

Release Date:

31 August 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Young freewheeling wanderer Jerry Day and his beautiful wife Toni are at odds over their lifestyle....

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Little Girl

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Jerry Day
Carole Lombard	...	Toni Carstairs Day
Shirley Temple	...	Penelope 'Penny' Day
Guy Standing	...	Felix Evans (as Sir Guy Standing)
Charlotte Granville	...	Mrs. J.H.P. Crane
Gilbert Emery	...	James Higginson
Henry Kolker	...	Mr. Clark
Tetsu Komai	...	Mr. Ling - Hotel Manager

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

After this film was released, Shirley Temple's fan mail reached five hundred letters a day.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jerry and Penny board the double-decker bus in New York, Penny is holding an ice cream cone and Jerry's hands are empty. But in the next shot, as Penny gets her bus transfer, Jerry is holding the ice cream cone in his right hand even though we've never seen Penny hand it to him.

Quotes:

Felix Evans: Hello, my boy. Where are you staying?
Jerry Day: Oh, uh, I hadn't decided yet. I'll look you up at the bank tomorrow.
Felix Evans: At the bank. Well, goodbye, Penny.
Penelope Day: Goodbye, Uncle Felix.
Toni Carstairs Day: And who's Uncle Felix?
Penelope Day: He's a good friend of ours. We like him. He bought one of Daddy's goldmines.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Wind at My Back: Remembrance Day (#4.7)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

The World Owes Me a Living

How NOT To Make A Shirley Temple Film

The year 1934 was when Shirley Temple played three major movies and really began to make a name for herself. Unfortunately, the studios had to experiment to see what the public best liked about here. Two of those things were singing and dancing. Another was a short, interesting film that kept people's attention and got their minds off The Depression. You know the other keys to Shirley's successful films.

This film achieved none of the above, despite the star presences of Gary Cooper and Carole Lombard and despite a very good director in Henry Hathaway. In addition, there are too many talky parts in here which become simply boring, and too many arguments between a sullen Lombard and Cooper. To top it off, you didn't get the normal feel-good ending which is what the public wants. I guess they learned after this movie.