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Timeline

And Now Tomorrow (1944) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1944 · 86 mins · English
Directed by
Irving Pichel
Starring
Cecil Kellaway, Mae Clarke, Loretta Young, Barry Sullivan, Helen Mack, Darryl Hickman

Emily Blair, a rich deaf woman, becomes the test subject for Dr. Vance’s experimental serum. Vance, who grew up poor in Blairtown, first tries a cure that fails. While Emily’s sister carries on an affair with her fiancé Jeff, Vance devises a second serum that makes Emily faint, leaving everyone unsure if it finally works.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like And Now Tomorrow
  5. 5 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

And Now Tomorrow Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of And Now Tomorrow (1944) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Emily's deafness and homecoming

    Emily Blair, a young heiress, becomes deaf after meningitis and leaves home to seek a cure. After years of fruitless attempts, she returns to Blairtown to pursue new options. Her homecoming sets the stage for the town's dynamics to re-enter her life.

    Where
    Blairtown
  2. Taxi encounter with Merek Vance

    On her return, Emily shares a taxi with Dr. Merek Vance, a Blairtown native who works as a physician in Pittsburgh. His first impression of her is that she is a snob, though he’s surprised to learn she can read lips. The encounter plants the seeds for an unlikely connection.

    Where
    Blairtown (taxi)
  3. Secret romance between Jeff and Janice

    Emily's former fiancé Jeff Stoddard and her younger sister Janice have fallen in love, though Emily remains unaware. Jeff is reluctant to tell Emily about the new relationship, feeling sympathy for her condition.

    Where
    Blairtown
  4. Merek summoned to cure Emily

    Dr. Weeks summons Merek back to Blairtown to assist in trying to cure Emily’s deafness, tapping into his past record of curing deaf patients. He agrees to help as a favor, despite his reluctance.

    Where
    Blairtown
  5. Dinner and backstory

    During a dinner at the Blair residence, Merek reveals more about himself and explains that his father once worked in a Blair factory and was fired before Christmas. Emily remembers a similar scene from the factory’s Christmas gathering.

    Where
    Blair residence
  6. Treatment begins; Emily earns respect

    Reluctant at first, Emily agrees to become the doctor’s guinea pig as a last resort. The treatment begins, and she slowly sheds some of her snobbish attitudes. She earns the respect of the Gallos and helps treat their sick child, Tommy, alongside Merek.

    Where
    Blairtown clinic
  7. Merek's changed heart

    As the treatment progresses, Merek’s view of Emily changes. He tells her not to marry Jeff, arguing she deserves someone who treats her with genuine respect.

    Where
    Blairtown
  8. Secret kept about Jeff and Janice

    Back at the Blair residence, Merek accidentally discovers Jeff and Janice are together and in love. He chooses to keep this information to himself, not revealing it to Emily.

    Where
    Blair residence
  9. Treatment appears to fail; love confessed

    Later, Merek concludes the treatment isn’t working, but he confesses that he has fallen in love with Emily. She doubts his sincerity, and they decide to stop the treatment, with Merek returning to Pittsburgh.

    Where
    Blairtown
  10. Wedding plans and a rabbit trial

    With Jeff unaware of his own feelings for Janice, Emily resumes wedding plans with Jeff. She hears of a newly tested rabbit-based treatment and asks Merek to return for another trial.

    Where
    Blairtown
  11. Coma after the serum

    Reluctantly, Merek agrees to administer the new rabbit-derived serum. After the treatment, Emily collapses into a coma, leaving Merek distraught and returning to Pittsburgh.

    Where
    Blairtown clinic
  12. Awakening and reconciliation

    When Emily wakes, she discovers she has regained her hearing and overhears Jeff telling Janice he loves her. Realizing she loves Merek, she travels to Pittsburgh to confess, and the two reconcile.

    Where
    Pittsburgh

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:40

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Timeline questions answered

And Now Tomorrow Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of And Now Tomorrow (1944): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Dr. Vance initially think Emily was a snob?

Merek's first impression of Emily was that she was a snob because of how she carried herself when they first met in the taxi. However, he later learned she could read lips, which surprised him. The truth came out during dinner when Merek revealed his father had worked in one of the Blair factories and was fired right before Christmas, and Emily had stared at him at a company Christmas gathering, making him believe she looked down on working-class people.

Foreshadowing: The earlier encounter at the Christmas gathering, where Emily stared at young Merek, establishes the tension between the social classes that runs through the film.

  • merek vance
  • emily blair
  • snob
  • class difference
  • first impression
Q2

Why was Merek's father fired from the Blair factory?

Merek's father worked in one of the Blair factories but was fired right before Christmas. While the exact reason isn't specified, Merek reveals this painful memory to explain why he harbored resentment toward the Blair family and why he initially viewed Emily as a snob who looked down on workers like him.

  • mereks father
  • blair factory
  • fired
  • christmas
  • class tension
Q3

Why didn't Jeff tell Emily about his relationship with Janice?

Jeff was reluctant to tell Emily about his romance with her younger sister Janice because he felt deep sympathy for her due to her deafness and the hardship she had endured. He couldn't bring himself to add to her suffering by revealing that her former fiancé had moved on to her own sister.

  • jeff stoddard
  • janice
  • emily
  • affair
  • secret romance
Q4

Why did Dr. Vance tell Emily not to marry Jeff?

Merek told Emily not to marry Jeff because he had discovered that Jeff was secretly in love with her sister Janice. Merek believed Emily deserved someone who would love her genuinely and treat her with real respect, not someone whose heart belonged to another woman.

Foreshadowing: Merek accidentally witnessed Jeff and Janice together at the Blair residence, discovering their secret romance.

  • merek vance
  • emily
  • jeff
  • wedding
  • advice
Q5

Why did Merek keep the secret about Jeff and Janice?

Merek chose not to reveal Jeff and Janice's relationship to Emily because he had already developed feelings for her and wanted to protect her emotionally. He also likely felt it wasn't his place to expose the betrayal while he was still treating her and uncertain about his own feelings.

  • secret
  • jeff
  • janice
  • merek
  • reveal
Q6

Why didn't Emily believe Merek when he confessed his love?

Emily didn't believe Merek's confession of love because she still carried her snobbish reputation and suspected he might be manipulating her emotionally, perhaps as part of his experimental treatment. She had trouble believing anyone could genuinely love her given her disability and her awareness of how others perceived her.

  • emily
  • merek
  • love confession
  • doubt
  • sincere
Q7

What caused Emily to fall into a coma after the serum?

The second experimental serum, which Merek had successfully tested on rabbits, caused Emily to collapse into a coma when administered. This was an unexpected and frightening reaction that suggested the treatment had failed or perhaps dangerously backfired, leaving everyone uncertain whether she would recover.

  • serum
  • coma
  • rabbit
  • treatment
  • experimental
Q8

How did Emily regain her hearing?

Emily regained her hearing after waking up from the coma caused by the second serum. The experimental treatment, despite almost killing her, ultimately succeeded in curing her deafness, though the exact mechanism isn't detailed in the story.

  • hearing
  • deafness
  • cure
  • coma
  • recovery
Q9

Why did Emily choose to be with Merek instead of Jeff?

Emily chose Merek because after regaining her hearing, she overheard Jeff confessing his love for Janice, which made her realize Jeff had never truly loved her. More importantly, Emily recognized that she herself was in love with Merek, and she traveled to Pittsburgh to confess her feelings and be with him.

  • emily
  • merek
  • jeff
  • choice
  • love
Q10

Why did Emily agree to be the test subject for the experimental treatment?

Emily agreed to become Merek's guinea pig because she had exhausted all other options for curing her deafness after years of searching for a treatment. Despite initial reluctance and her snobbish nature, she decided to try the experimental approach as a last resort.

  • treatment
  • guinea pig
  • deafness
  • cure
  • last resort
Q11

Why did Merek agree to try the second serum on Emily?

Merek reluctantly agreed to administer the second rabbit-tested serum because Emily personally asked him to return and try it, having heard about his successful rabbit trials. Despite his concerns and the failed first attempt, he couldn't refuse her request.

  • merek
  • second treatment
  • rabbit
  • serum
  • reluctant

Movie threads

More Movies Like And Now Tomorrow, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes And Now Tomorrow tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Hopeful healing journeys like in And Now Tomorrow

Stories where characters face adversity and emerge changed, finding love and purpose. If you liked And Now Tomorrow, explore other movies about personal transformation and hopeful cures. These stories feature characters overcoming adversity, often involving medical conditions, and finding love and a new lease on life through their journey.

  • hopeful
  • romantic
  • reflective
  • dramatic
  • soaring
  • emotional
  • Tone: hopeful, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread follow a protagonist facing a significant life-altering condition or setback. The plot revolves around their quest for a solution—be it medical, emotional, or spiritual—while developing relationships that challenge their perspective and lead to profound personal growth, culminating in an uplifting resolution.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on hope and redemption. They balance serious themes with a steady, character-driven pace and an emotionally satisfying, happy ending, creating a consistently uplifting and reflective viewing experience.

Romances across social class like in And Now Tomorrow

Romantic stories where love challenges and transcends rigid social divides. Find movies similar to And Now Tomorrow that explore love stories complicated by class divides. These romantic dramas delve into themes of snobbery, personal integrity, and love that blossoms in spite of social barriers.

  • romantic
  • dramatic
  • class-conscious
  • reflective
  • soaring
  • emotional
  • Tone: romantic, dramatic, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a romance between characters from disparate social worlds—often one privileged and one from a humbler background. Initial conflict and misunderstanding give way to a deeper connection that forces both characters to re-evaluate their prejudices and what they value most, leading to a union that feels earned.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their central conflict of social class impacting romance. They share a dramatic, reflective mood, a steady pacing that allows for character development, and a focus on the emotional journey of breaking down societal barriers for love.

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Movies Like And Now Tomorrow

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Every angle

And Now Tomorrow (1944) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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