Skip to content
MovieCove
Will There Really Be a Morning?

Will There Really Be a Morning?

TV movie1983180 minMidcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Director
Fielder Cook
Starring
Susan Blakely, Lee Grant, Royal Dano, John Heard

This is the story of actress Frances Farmer, her struggles with mental illness and involuntary confinement in an insane asylum.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Will There Really Be a Morning??

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Will There Really Be a Morning? on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Will There Really Be a Morning??

Will There Really Be a Morning? earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Devastating.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Will There Really Be a Morning? worth watching?

Will There Really Be a Morning?'s Midcredits score is the 63rd percentile of all films, from 143 ratings across 3 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

63rd percentile

Better received than 63% of films

41st percentile among Biography65th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)67th

63 /100

57th percentile of all films

35th percentile among Biography60th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

61% liked it

67th percentile of all films

46th percentile among Biography69th percentile among 1980s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Reach

How many have seen it

23rd percentile

143 ratings across platforms

6th percentile among Biography18th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 50% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A made-for-TV biopic about Frances Farmer that focuses on her troubled life and institutionalization, anchored by Susan Blakely's performance.

Fans praised

  • Susan Blakely's convincing and remarkable lead performance
  • faithful adaptation of source material's asylum sections
  • nuanced mother-daughter relationship avoids one-dimensional villainy

Detractors panned

  • weak script fails to support lead actress
  • Lee Grant's over-familiar, unconvincing performance
  • lacks the campy melodrama that could have given it entertainment value

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Blakely praised as convincing and remarkable; detractors blame weak script

Emotional impactDivisive75

fans describe waterfall of emotion; detractors find subject depressing

CharactersDivisive65

mother-daughter relationship praised for complexity; detractors find flat

PacingDivisive60

covers entire life in 3 hours; some find it less compelling than theatrical version

Plot and storyDivisive55

fans find faithful to source; detractors note deviations and average pacing

DialogueDivisive55

praised for avoiding over-acting; detractors find script insufficient

Originality45

noted as standard TV biopic lacking distinctive take vs. 1982 film

Watch experience

What is Will There Really Be a Morning? like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It is intense and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicTenseElegiac
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its tragic subject with a sober, unmelodramatic gaze, focusing on the emotional reality of Farmer's deterioration rather than histrionics.
The rideThe film maintains a somber, tense mood throughout, building towards the devastating institutional years and her eventual death.
StructureThe story is told in linear order from Frances Farmer's childhood through her death, following a conventional biographical arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lasting ache and forces contemplation of how society treats those deemed mentally ill.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe synopsis traces a life arc from promise to breakdown, institutionalisation and death—a classic tragic trajectory driven by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsFamily bondsIdentity · 14% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines how a gifted woman's life is shattered by her mother's control, a flawed mental health system, and her own fragility.
StanceThe film mourns the destruction of Frances Farmer by family, fame, and an inhumane psychiatric system.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Billy Goldenberg
SettingThe rise and fall of actress Frances Farmer in 1930s-40s Hollywood and beyond.
MusicBilly Goldenberg's score underscores the emotional arc from youthful ambition to institutional despair.

Cast and crew

Who is in Will There Really Be a Morning??

Cast

Susan Blakely
as Frances Farmer
Lee Grant
as Lillian Farmer
Royal Dano
as Ernest Farmer
John Heard
as Clifford Odets
Melanie Mayron
as Sophie
Leonardo Cimino
as Adolph Zukor
Jack Creley
as Professor Williams
James Eckhouse
as Harold Clurman
Jeannie Elias
as Lottie
Joseph Maher
as 1st Doctor

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Will There Really Be a Morning?

Movies like Will There Really Be a Morning? include Judy (2019), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and Bastard Out of Carolina (1996). Of the 5 closest matches, all are period dramas, and two are films that feel elegiac.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 5 share its story type: biopic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Will There Really Be a Morning??

2.8K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: biopic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.