It Happened Tomorrow (1944)

In the last half of the 19th century, a newspaper reporter (Dick Powell) is handed a newspaper with the next day's headlines by an elderly co-worker (John Philliber). But this ability to see into the future brings a multitude of problems rather than fortune. This slight whimsical fantasy courtesy of Rene Clair (AN ITALIAN STRAW HAT) takes a thin one joke premise and stretches it out over the course of an hour an a half. Surprisingly, however, it doesn't wear out its welcome. Clair's feathery touch  keeps everything light and playful and moving as quickly as the best of his farces. Powell's career was in transition from the young Warners juvenile to the harder persona he would acquire in the same year's MURDER MY SWEET and he's quite appealing here in a role not very different from his work in Sturges' charming CHRISTMAS IN JULY. The framing device of the 50th wedding anniversary does seem superfluous though. Apparently, Clair wasn't too fond of the film for some reason. With a lovely Linda Darnell, Jack Oakie, George Chandler, Sig Ruman and Edward Brophy.