''I'll Cry Tomorrow'' (1955) is a biopic that tells the story of Lillian Roth, a Broadway star who rebels against the pressure of her domineering mother and struggles with alcoholism after the death of her fiancé. It stars

Susan Hayward Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrener; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American actress best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories. After working as a fashion model for the Walter Clarence Thornton, Walt ...

, Richard Conte, Eddie Albert, Margo, and Jo Van Fleet. The screenplay was adapted by Helen Deutsch and Jay Richard Kennedy from the 1954 autobiography by Lillian Roth, Mike Connolly and Gerold Frank. It was directed by

Daniel Mann Daniel Chugerman (August 8, 1912 – November 21, 1991), known professionally as Daniel Mann, was an American stage, film director, film and television director. Originally trained as an actor by Sanford Meisner, between 1952 and 1987 he direct ...

. The film won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for

Helen Rose Helen Rose (February 2, 1904 – November 9, 1985) was an American costume designer and clothing designer who spent the bulk of her career with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Career Helen Rose was born on February 2, 1904, to William Bromberg and Ray Bobb ...

, and had three other Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Susan Hayward. It was entered into the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, where Hayward won the prize for Best Actress.

Plot

Eight-year-old Lillian Roth (Carole Ann Campbell) constantly is pushed by her domineering stage mother Katie ( Jo Van Fleet) to audition and act, even though she is merely a child. One day, Katie secures an opportunity in Chicago, which leads to Lillian, now older (

), to having a successful musical career. Even though 20 years have passed, Katie still is managing Lillian, as well as running her life and career choices. Although her mother does not tell her, Lillian finds out that her childhood friend David (

Ray Danton Ray Danton (born Raymond Caplan; September 19, 1931 – February 11, 1992) was an American radio, film, stage, and television actor, director, and producer whose most famous roles were in the screen biographies ''The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamo ...

) tried to get in contact with her. She visits him in the hospital, and they soon fall in love. Because David is an entertainment company lawyer, he is able to secure Lillian shows at some big venues, including one at the Palace Theatre. However, there is latent tension between David and Katie because he feels that Katie is projecting her own ambitions onto Lillian and overworking her, and Katie feels a new man in Lillian's life only serves to distract from her high-profile career. When Lillian informs her mother she intends to marry David, Katie is disappointed and sees a repeat of her own life happening—giving up a career to have a husband and children. Suddenly, David falls ill and dies during the opening night of her show, and she is despondent at having lost the love of her life. Rebelling against her mother's domineering ways, Lillian turns to drinking. One night, in a drunken stupor, she goes out with an aviator, Wallie ( Don Taylor), and marries him that night but does not remember it. They remain married, but the marriage is loveless from the beginning. The only thing the two have in common is drinking, and both drink to forget the present. Lillian's career suffers as a result of her persistent alcoholism, and she spends all her money without booking new shows. The two divorce after Wallie says he is "sick of being Mr. Lillian Roth." Two years later, Lillian meets fellow alcoholic Tony Bardeman ( Richard Conte) at a dinner party, and she falls for him. However, Lillian goes through alcohol withdrawal when she stops drinking to please her mother, and instead she turns to being a secret drinker. Her drinking gets worse when Tony goes home to California, but when he returns, Lillian begs him to stay with her. They decide to stop drinking together, but once they are married, Tony starts to drink, and Lillian is outraged. When she tries to stop him from drinking and leave, he beats her. She escapes Tony's clutches and goes to New York City to live with her mother, but contemplates suicide after a fight with her mother. Lillian goes to an

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anon ...

shelter, and suffers bouts of

delirium tremens Delirium tremens (DTs; ) is a rapid onset of confusion usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol. When it occurs, it is often three days into the withdrawal symptoms and lasts for two to three days. Physical effects may include shaking, sh ...

as she goes through withdrawals. She begins to fall for her sponsor Burt McGuire ( Eddie Albert), but the crippling effects of childhood

polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

make him wary of pursuing anything romantic. As she continues her recovery, she is invited to appear on the '' This Is Your Life'' television program to share her story of alcoholism and recovery.

Cast

as Lillian Roth * Richard Conte as Tony Bardeman * Eddie Albert as Burt McGuire * Jo Van Fleet as Katie Silverman Roth, Lillian's mother * Don Taylor as Wallie *

as David Tredman * Margo as Selma * Virginia Gregg as Ellen * Don 'Red' Barry as Jerry * David Kasday as David as a child * Carole Ann Campbell as Lillian (a child) * Peter Leeds as Richard Elstead * Tol Avery as Drunk party guest, Joe * Anthony Jochim as Paul (butler) * Jack Daley as Cab driver * Ralph Edwards as himself, as host of ''This Is Your Life'' (uncredited) * Florence Ravenel as Stage mother (uncredited)

Box office

According to MGM records, the film made $5,873,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,854,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $2,933,000.

Reviews

sings for the first time on the screen, and will win much applause for her throaty voice in such songs as '' Sing, You Sinners'', '' When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)'', and '' I'm Sitting on Top of the World''. She is supported by

as the man whose death first upsets her; by Jo Van Fleet as her domineering mother who realises what she has done too late; Richard Conte, Eddie Albert and Don Taylor."''Picture Show'', June 23, 1956

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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Sound samples of the film score
{{Daniel Mann 1955 films 1955 drama films 1950s biographical drama films American biographical drama films American black-and-white films Biographical films about actors Cultural depictions of actors Cultural depictions of American people Films about alcoholism Films based on autobiographies Films directed by Daniel Mann Films scored by Alex North Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language biographical drama films