douglas sirk be renowned for inject his subversive criticism of american society of the fifty in his glossy and glamorous melodrama . what make this palatable to the public and who flock in drove and be the fact that the family involve be showbiz family ( imitation of life ) and filthy rich oil magnate ( write in the wind ) or highly idealize to the point of caricature ( all that heaven allows and magnificent obsession ) and far from the average movie goer own social milieu . and of course up there on the screen be the glamorous star and rock hudson and lana turner and lauren bacall and dorothy malone and etc . movie fan will recall the aforementioned movie when the topic of sirk movie arise . it be highly unlikely that there always tomorrow will get a mention . there always tomorrow have barely any gloss or glamour . the social criticism be completely without disguise . the family in question be one that the vast majority of movie goer could very easily identify with . it star ( fred macmurray and a not so young barbara stanwyk ) be not glamorous . while audience leave the cinema entrance by the glorious melodrama of imitation of life and write on the wind and they would have leave there always tomorrow feel a lot less secure about their own life and since it a film that touch on a fair amount of dangerous territory and call into question the very foundation of the american family . douglas sirk sense of irony have never be sharp . the title brim with optimism and the film open with the script and once upon a time in sunny california . but what unfold be a bleak and pessimistic depiction of middle class family life . while sirk film have often be brand woman picture and there always tomorrow be indeed very much a man picture . it take a hard and deep look at the role of the male breadwinner and the picture it come up with be not a pretty one . what we be show be a man who when young and court the pretty girl and married and have child and work hard to build up a successful business . he be now middle age and have achieve it all and begin to feel himself take for grant by his wife and child . his need be completely neglect . his wife have little interest in him sexually be totally wrap up in fulfil the unending need of their self center ungrateful child . it a scenario all too familiar to million of men . fred macmurrays clifford groves have become a robot similar to the one his successful toy manufacturer have create . no wonder that norma vale ( stanwyk ) reappearance in his life present an opportunity to regain his lost dream . she an independent career woman and who see his situation a somewhat idyllic from the outside . but with the usual intelligence of a stanwyk character and she have no illusion a to a possible future with him . despite the brief and obligatory conciliatory end and clifford grove future do not bode well . it should come a no surprise that the film be not well receive at the box office . there always tomorrow have many of the hallmark of sirk craftsmanship . the studio refuse to grant him his request for the film to be shoot in color and despite have provide universal with some of it high grossing picture of the decade . at least his demand for his favorite cameraman russell metty be grant . metty a always and be the perfect partner in realise sirk vision . his interior filming in particular be a lesson in cinematography . he have a penchant for shoot character behind banister and frame in mirror and cage behind fence to enhance the sense of their be trap . macmurray and stanwyk be constantly glide through dark shadow and bright light reflect the inherent brightness and darkness in their life . at this point of write there always tomorrow have not be release in any format and rarely get a showing on television . it a gross injustice to an extremely important director and a wonderfully make and move piece of cinema .