Nineteen thirty-six was a very busy year for Jimmy Stewart. He starred in
eight full-length movies and NEXT TIME WE LOVE was his first outing as a leading
man. And he does a great job. The film opens with him and his
girlfriend (Margaret Sullavan) talking nonstop love stuff and then getting
married. It's all very sappy, but then the film takes a serious turn. A
very serious turn. James and Margaret quickly learn that love
cannot overcome financial difficulties and when James takes a job as a foreign
correspondent in Russia they solve the financial part, but now they have the
long distance thing to deal with...and in 1936 Russia was way more long distance
than it is now.
I have no idea how successful (or unsuccessful) NTWL was at the box office, but
I liked it quite a bit and will definitely be watching it again. My biggest
complaint is the movie just isn't long enough. The story, especially
towards the end, goes way too fast and it doesn't give the viewer enough time to
react emotionally. Also the ending just ends. I wanted more or at
least some closure. Even so, NEXT TIME WE LOVE is an enjoyable watch and a
nice chance to see a young Stewart before he became a household name.
