It Happened Tomorrow

Lawrence and Sylvia Stevens celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, establishing their long partnership. The scene establishes their bond and sets up the flashback structure that follows.

In a flashback to the 1890s, Lawrence Stevens, an unhappy obituary writer, is given tomorrow's evening newspaper by Pop Benson. He does not read it at first, but the exchange foreshadows how a single page will steer his life. It is later revealed that Benson had died two days before Stevens received the first newspaper.

After work, Lawrence and his colleagues attend a mind-reading act starring the 'Great Sigolini' and his beautiful assistant Sylvia. Lawrence is instantly captivated and manages to secure a date with her for the next day. The encounter marks the beginning of their romance.

That night, Lawrence notices the newspaper’s date seems off, while a forecast promises unseasonable snowfall that soon comes to pass. He also notices an advertisement for a waiter just before a coworker is fired, hinting at the fragile balance of luck ahead. These coincidences plant seeds of fate around the following day.

Lawrence reads about a robbery at a theater box office in an article that bears his byline, a piece he had written in advance. His editor initially refuses to publish it until a policeman confirms the story. The episode foreshadows how the journalist's future work will intersect with real crime.

Police Inspector Mulrooney arrests him, convinced he could only have known about the robbery by being part of the gang. Lawrence finds himself jailed as suspicion closes in on him. The accusation presses hard on his personal and professional life.

Sylvia’s uncle mistakes Lawrence for having consorted with his niece in Sylvia’s boarding house room. He tries to intimidate Lawrence into marrying Sylvia, not realizing that Lawrence has already come to ask for her hand. The misunderstanding adds tension to their romance.

Stevens visits the uncle to formally seek Sylvia’s hand in marriage. The meeting tests social conventions and authority more than law. The uncle’s approval becomes a gatekeeper for the couple's future.

Stevens retrieves another newspaper from Pop Benson with the aim of picking horses at the racetrack to fund the marriage. He pores over the racing stories, hoping luck will tilt in his favor. The plan intertwines romantic ambition with the day’s headlines.

He reads a sensational story about his own death that very night. In a hurry, he and Sylvia decide to marry immediately. The impulsive marriage sets them on a path toward the chaos that follows.

The trio goes to the racetrack, and Stevens bets win after win, accumulating about $60,000. The winnings seem to secure their future and provide a swift escape from hardship. The moment of triumph quickly turns when trouble resurfaces.

On the way back to town, the money is stolen, and the couple are arrested for speeding while pursuing the thief. The setback tests their resolve but also bonds them against misfortune. The city streets become a maze of bad luck and urgency.

Lawrence spots the thief and gives chase through city streets and rooftops, finally tumbling into the hotel lobby through a chimney. A gunfight erupts and the thief is killed, with the wallet leading to a mistaken identity that a newspaper uses to declare Lawrence dead. The press rushes the sensational story to print.

A reporter later uncovers the truth, but the sensational edition has already hit the streets. The reversal arrives too late to undo the chaos, and fate seems sealed for the moment. The film circles back to the present as Lawrence and Sylvia celebrate their 50th anniversary.