BasedonanunknownSch?nbergoperafrom1929,FromTodayUntilTomorrowexploresonenightinanot-quitelovelessmarriage.Ahusbandandwifereturnfromapartywhereshehasflirtedwithanotherman,whilehehascastanappraisingeyetowardanattractive,fashionablydressedacquaintanceofhiswife’s.Thougheachdreams,briefly,ofleavingthemarriagefortheexcitementandmysteryofanewlover,intheendtheydecidestabilityandcomfortaremoreimportantthanthefleetingthrillofnewromance.DirectorsJean-MarieStraubandDanièleHuillet,whopreviouslycollaboratedontwootherfilmsaboutmusic(TheChronicleofAnnaMagdalenaBach,1968,andMosesandAaron,1975),relyonlongfixedshotsinaustereblack-and-whitesothatthefocusremainsonthemusicalbrillianceofSch?nberg’satonalscore,performedhereby70musicians.ThatSch?nbergwouldchoosesucharelativelylightheartedmessageforhisnewlydiscoveredmusicallanguageremainsamystery,especiallysincetheconclusionreachedbythehusbandandwife—tostickwiththetriedandtrue—seemsdirectlyatoddswithSch?nberg’sownphilosophyofcomposing.Itisjustthisjuxtaposition,however,coupledwithStraubandHuillet’sfaithfulpresentation,thatmakestheoperaacompellingadditiontotheSch?nbergcanon—andthefilmsuchachallengingandintriguingexperienceccc