Drama,Romance
United States of America
Make Way for Tomorrow is a 1937 American drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Beulah Bondi and Victor Moore. It follows the story of an elderly couple, Barkley and Lucy Cooper, who lose their home to foreclosure during the Great Depression. None of their five adult children can afford to keep them both, so the Coopers are forced to separate and live with different family members.
Barkley goes to live with their son George and his wife Anita, while Lucy goes to live with their daughter Cora and her husband, while the other children live too far away. The elderly couple's lives are made inconvenient by their relatives who value their own routines and the Cooper's presence portend inconvenience in some ways. Lucy finds herself a burden to her daughter's house, notably after spoiling grandson's engagement with her criticism. Meanwhile, Barkley feels unwanted in his son's home, especially after George treats him as a servant while focusing on his banking career.
The parents try to manage their lives by visiting each other during the day, but it always results in Barkley's absence during George's evening dinner parties. Feeling unwanted and unloved, the Coopers decide to quietly reunite for a few days, electing to stay in New York instead of Wisconsin visiting their daughter Frankie. The children find Barkley and Lucy enjoying a carefree day on Coney Island together and become angry with them for running away.
The Cooper's children demand the couple put aside their happiness and take the train to Wisconsin to live with Frankie, but they cannot bear the thought of living apart. The couple decides to commit suicide by an overdose of their prescription medicine, with a note to the children explaining their actions. The children feel guilty and band together to give the Coopers a lavish funeral, though they realize it comes far too late.
Make Way for Tomorrow is a poignant film that portrays the impact of economic hardship and disintegration of family structures caused by losing fortunes. It also highlights how our interaction with each other can have lasting impressions. The movie was not commercially successful during its time but is now regarded as one of the greatest American films ever made.
