Early Edition/"It happened tomorrow"!

mojo2004

CBS didn't give a damn about but it stole our hearts anyway! Kyle Chandler is Gary Hobson, a mistreated stockbroker who gets an unusual gift.His wife dumps him on their wedding anniversary and he moves to a run down hotel where he starts getting tomorrow's newspaper today delivered by a cat.Oh it's funny,it serious, Gary has two friends who can steal the show since they're both excellent too.

S*P*O*I*L*E*R for movie "It Happened Tomorrow"

Having said that I had read a post saying this show was based on the movie "It Happened Tomorrow" (1944)starring Dick Powell.I bought the DVD and the poster is right.I don't why isn't mentioned in the background of the show but it's more than just a similar idea.In the movie the old man brings the newspaper instead of a cat.He appears mysteriously like the cat at a unusual time and he's dead just as Snow is. The guy that gets the paper is named Larry instead of Gary and he works at the paper writing obituaries.Actually if the show had had Gary working at the paper he would have had an easier time of getting to his appointments. Larry also does what Gary did in the pilot.Used the paper for quick money by playing the winning race results at the track to get a large sum of money quick.Only Gary's motive was different.Larry was a combination of Gary and Chuck.He also saved someone after he asked Pops to read him the story.One other thing in the movie and done on the show-A want ad is read for a job.When the party inquires he is told no job exist,then a person is fired right on the spot and the boss says put an ad in tomorrow's paper!Oh, and Pops worked at the paper just like Snow,only he kept the obituary records.Little things that go on in the movie have been used in the show.Like the episode when Gary reads his own obituary.That happens in the movie too but it's done better.Much more lighthearted and clever.There's also a connection between Larry and a hotel in town.The movie also had the trio-Larry(Gary),a lovable con man,the Prof(Chuck)and a romantic interest who knew about Larry special paper,Sylvia(Marissa).I have always said Marissa was Gary's love interest and I think had she not been African-American the show would have gone that way. I still love the show but someone should have given credit to the person who's idea the movie was based on.Here are the credits from the movie.

Rene Clair's "It Happened Tomorrow" Screenplay and Adaption by;Dudley Nichols and Rene Clair

originals by:Lord Dunsany,Hugh Wedlock & Howard Synder and ideas of Lewis R Foster

score /10

mojo2004 28 September 2004

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0376391/