Today We Live (1933)

Motion pictures have a fascination with depicting war, the arduous journey of it, the gritty ugliness of it, the glory of victory, the pain of lose, and the kaleidoscope of emotions that fill the minds of anyone that is directly related to it. Today We Live is one film that shares the emotions of war centering on love, lose, respect, and admiration. Before WWII would become the war of Hollywood glory, there was the first World War, originally known to the population as The War to End All Wars, or simply The Great War, because never had there been a war that included such a mass of nations scattered across the globe. With it being still fresh in the minds of people in the 1930s, it provided a unique backdrop for a genre of film, the war movie. Veterans of such an ordeal would come to respect and care deeply for those that they shared the horrors of battle with, and that is the issue Today We Live presents us. War is hell, but it too brings out beauty of the human heart and spirit.

Today We Live is tale about an English woman in WWI Europe torn between two men, one she cares deeply about and thinks she loves, and the man she actually loves, both of who contend for her affection while fighting on the fronts of battle in France. Diana (Joan Crawford) is a young English woman deeply affected by the Great War. In the emotional rollercoaster of war Diana believes her plutonic love for her brother Ronnie’s (Franchot Tone) best friend, and naval officer, Claude (Robert Young) is true love, ultimately the tow become engaged. She realizes her mistake when she truly falls in love with an American pilot, Bogard (Gary Cooper). When Bogard discovers Diana’s relationship to Claude, he sparks a rivalry between Claude and himself, but grows into a mutual respect. Bogard, in admiration, decides that it is best for Claude and Diana to stay together, but Claude, blinded by a mission, becomes wise to Diana’s true feelings toward Bogard. Both Bogard and Claude decide to serve a suicide mission trusting that the other will love and care for Diana, ending with the death of Claude and Ronnie, leaving Diana and Bogard to live on in their memories.

Adapted from a story by William Faulkner called “Turnabout,” Today We Live is an expanded telling of the original narrative. The film starts off weakly, as we learn of Diana’s sorrow filled life and are introduced to all the characters before serving in the war. For the first third of the film we are, in a way, bored with little to no direction to the story and confused by the flurry of emotion Diana juggles. The real tale begins once on the fronts. The rivalry Bogard has with the naive Claude keeps you interested as Bogard comes off as sour-hearted, intentionally putting Claude in harm’s way.  But Claude’s heart and spirit wins over Bogard and though Bogard loves Diana, he wants her to care for Claude. The tale is tragic as both men share such love and respect for each other that they take on a suicide mission so that the other may be with Diana. The picture, though sad from the loss of war shares a joy of the beauty of the hearts of men. It may not be realistic of a response to see a happy Diana with her love, Bogard, after she lost her brother and fiancée, but it does somehow share a source of joy to see the men fighting for each other in the war.

Though the movie is a love story, as well as a war film, the original story the film was based on never intended to contain such romance. Joan Crawford’s character, Diana, was added in the screenwriting process to make the film more appealing. In review the heart of the story, as well as the most gripping aspect, is that of the relationship of Bogard and Claude as they learn to respect each other. The first third of the film and very last scenes were added to bring in the love story and how it ties into the main section of the tale. Perhaps this is why the first part of the movie drags, as the characters and their relationship with each other is being introduced and explained to us. Though quick and a bit confusing at first of how fast Diana and Bogard fall in love, it does bring new depth to the overall story and a new sense of respect and loss in the relationship of Bogard and Claude.

Directed by the same filmmaking duo from the gangster classic, Scarface, Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson this time bring beauty to the screen in light of the ugliness of war.  Though a team effort in the directorial role, Hawks would be the master, as he would serve for many years as a notable director of Hollywood features. Rosson on the other hand was an actor who fell into directing one day filling in for a director that stormed off the set. Rosson’s directing career did not go much further, unlike the successful Hawks. With the exception of a few rather poor simple shots, the direction is very good. The action is well shot and finely edited, keeping the energy up and full of suspense. Some creative directing would have been needed for the fighter plane sequences, and with the acceptation of stealing a few shots for the 1930 film Hell’s Angels, the scene is well assembled, never getting lost in the action of the fighting.

As a treat of this film, we have the unique convergence of acting talent in this one picture. Of course the talents were not all at their peak at time of this production, but it is definitely worth noting. Joan Crawford, the headlining star of the film, which is amusing being her character was not part of the original story. At the height of her game, Crawford gained more than a credit to her name with this picture, but also her next husband. She met Franchot Tone, in his first major role playing Crawford’s brother. Crawford was fresh off her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and would marry Tone in 1935. Tone never loved the movies as much as the theater, therefore he never made it as big as his future wife did in movies. Gary Cooper’s stock was on the rise at this time. Of course we see a lot more of him in later years. Robert Young was just that during this film, young. His fresh face made him enjoyable for his role as the lovable, youthful Claude, but we know Young today more for the television leading roles in Father Knows Best and Marcus Welby M.D.

Today We Live is a good story of the brotherhood of war. The movie is enjoyable, less the first section of the film where things are simply introduced. The tale probably could have been retooled to reduce the slow, uninteresting beginning, but I digress. If is said, the film portrays how war affected people. It presents men’s sense of duty and the horrors of expectable lose. Above all the film manifests love, not just a man for a woman, but brotherly love and the camaraderie.