Joy in the Morning (film)

Joy in the Morning
Joy in the Morning
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alex Segal
Written by	Sally Benson; Alfred Hayes; Norman Lessing
Based on	Joy in the Morning; 1963 novel; by Betty Smith
Produced by	Henry T. Weinstein
Starring	Richard Chamberlain; Yvette Mimieux; Arthur Kennedy; Oscar Homolka; Joan Tetzel
Cinematography	Ellsworth Fredericks
Edited by	Thomas J. McCarthy
Music by	Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster (title song); Bernard Herrmann
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	May 7, 1965;
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,700,000 (US/Canada rentals)

Joy in the Morning is a 1965 American romance film starring Richard Chamberlain and Yvette Mimieux and directed by Alex Segal. Adapted from the 1963 novel of the same name by Betty Smith, the film tells the story of a young newlywed couple, Carl and Annie Brown, who marry against their parents' wishes while Carl is still in law school and struggle to maintain their relationship.

Plot

In the late 1920s, 18-year-old Annie McGairy travels from Brooklyn to a college town in the Midwest to marry her boyfriend Carl Brown, a law student, at the local courthouse. The newlyweds must overcome many obstacles, including disapproval from their parents (who knew each other before emigrating to the U.S. from Ireland), financial problems, and Annie's sexual insecurities. Due to the marriage, Carl's law school cuts off his loans, and his father cuts off support from home, forcing Carl to work multiple jobs on top of studying. Annie causes gossip in the town by befriending a lonely, gay florist and babysitting for the mistress of a married businessman.

Annie discovers she is pregnant, but before she can tell Carl, the couple have a heated argument caused by the stress of his night job interfering with the couple's marital intimacy. Annie leaves Carl and returns to her mother in Brooklyn, without telling Carl she is pregnant, not wanting to burden him while he finishes his education. Devastated by the loss of Annie, Carl's schoolwork suffers, putting him in danger of failing all his classes. When Carl's father discovers the situation, including Annie's now-obvious pregnancy, his attitude toward Annie softens, and he convinces the couple to reconcile. Annie helps Carl to catch up in his studies and pass his exams on the same day Annie gives birth. Carl graduates, and he and Annie celebrate a church wedding with family and friends before happily riding away with their newborn son.

Cast

Richard Chamberlain – Carl Brown
Yvette Mimieux – Annie McGairy Brown
Arthur Kennedy – Patrick Brown
Oskar Homolka – Stan Pulaski
Donald Davis – Anthony Byrd
Joan Tetzel – Beverly Karter
Sidney Blackmer – Dean James Darwent
Virginia Gregg – Mrs. Lorgan
Chris Noel – Mary Ellen Kincaid
Bartlett Robinson – Professor Victor Newcole
Ellen Atterbury – Marriage License Clerk
Harvey Stephens – Dr. Marson
Ira Barmak – Dr. Kirkson

Production

The film was based on the 1963 novel by Betty Smith, who had written A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Joy in the Morning, Smith's fourth, and last, novel, was based on her own life; she married during the Depression and lived near campus while her husband studied law. "I had to return to that background", she said. "That's where I was born."^[2] (The marriage later ended in divorce.^[3]) Film rights were bought by MGM in June 1963 for a minimum of $100,000.^[4]

In January 1964, the lead role was given to Richard Chamberlain, who was at that time a teen idol and the star of the MGM TV series Dr. Kildare.^[5] His co-star was Yvette Mimieux, who was also under contract to MGM, and had played Chamberlain's love interest in a two-part episode of Dr. Kildare. Filming started in May 1964.^[6]

Producer Henry Weinstein said he wanted to make a romance in the James Stewart–Margaret Sullavan tradition.^[7] Mimieux called the film "light and charming".^[8]

The film's score was composed by Bernard Herrmann. Chamberlain sang the title song "Joy in the Morning", released as a single and included on his 1964 album Richard Chamberlain.

Chris Noel, who played a college student in the film, later wrote a book with editor and designer Kirk Kimball about the making of the film, titled Filming Joy in the Morning: Behind the Scenes with Richard Chamberlain.^[9]

Reception

According to one report, at preview of the film the audience "laughed in all the wrong places."^[10]

The film made $1.7 million in North America.^[1]

The film has been described as "amateurishly acted (especially by stars Richard Chamberlain and Yvette Mimieux as Carl and Annie), badly written, and hideously directed ... unrelenting mawkishness".^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Top Grossers of 1965", Variety, 5 January 1966 p 36
^ PAUL GARDNER (Aug 17, 1963). "Betty Smith Recalls How 'Tree' Grew to Success 20 Years Ago". New York Times. p. 17.
^ "Best-Selling Novelist Betty Smith Dies at 75: Author of 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' Earned Estimated $1 Million on 1943 Book". Los Angeles Times. Jan 18, 1972. p. c4.
^ A.H. WEILER (23 June 1963). "BY WAY OF REPORT: Metro Buys Betty Smith Novel--Other Matters". New York Times. p. 95.
^ Hopper, Hedda (Jan 30, 1964). "Looking at Hollywood: Briton Richard Harris Has a Ball at Home". Chicago Tribune. p. c4.
^ Hopper, Hedda (Apr 21, 1964). "Mary Tyler Moore Has Many Talents: Actress Helps Danny Kaye; Loretta Likes Busy Retirement". Los Angeles Times. p. C8.
^ Hopper, Hedda (May 8, 1964). "Looking at Hollywood: Roz Eyes Role of Colorful Gabrielle Chanel". Chicago Tribune. p. b11.
^ Hopper, Hedda (Apr 11, 1965). "Yvette Mimieux's Got a Secret". Los Angeles Times. p. m4.
^ Noel, Chris (2014-09-02). Kimball, Kirk (ed.). Filming Joy in the Morning: Behind the Scenes with Richard Chamberlain. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1501050305.
^ Dorothy Kilgallen (Mar 18, 1965). "Bette Sees Olivier as Her Lincoln". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. p. C20.
^ Smith, S.C. (2002). A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann. ACLS Humanities E-Book. University of California Press. p. 264. ISBN 978-0-520-22939-6. Retrieved 30 Jun 2023.