Los cuatro hijos de Adán

Somewhat stolid drama is immeasurably boosted by a terrific performance by Susan Hayward on her way up. This was really the first role that allowed her any kind of showcase and she takes full advantage as the grasping cat that's up to no good. From here on she started a steady if not meteoric rise to the very top but even at this early stage she demonstrates the fiery star quality that took her there.

This second American outing for Ingrid Bergman is obviously designed as a star vehicle for her but except when pitted against Susan's shrew she is only required to show pallid goodness, not the best star making material. She only had to work her way through one more indifferent picture, Rage in Heaven, before hitting her stride as the cheap Ivy in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and of course following that up with the luminous Ilsa in Casablanca and on to immortality.

As far as the rest of the film goes it's standard hokum with Warner Baxter stiff as the head of the household and the sons all lacking in personality. Fay Wray isn't given anything to do in her tiny amount of screen time but June Lockhart is all sweet faced and dewy youthfulness, at least making her nothing part stand out by her vivacity.

There are some plot gaps in 1941's "Adam Had Four Sons," possibly because 25 minutes have been cut. As it is, it's an okay film thanks to the performances.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Ingrid Bergman plays Emilie, a young foreigner hired as a governess for the Adam Stoddard family's four boys. Everyone takes to her immediately, and she becomes one of the family. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes the family when the boys' mother Molly (Fay Wray) dies. Then there is a reversal in the stock market, and Adam Stoddard (Warner Baxter) loses his business. His aunt (Helen Westley) puts up the money to send the older boys to school, and Stoddard has no choice but to sell his house and move into an apartment with the youngest boy, Phillip. He has to send Emilie back home, but he promises that as soon as he can, he will send for her to return.

Years later, before World War I, Adam sends for Emilie, and she comes back. The three older boys, and eventually Philip, all fight in World War I. One of the boys, David, brings home the manipulative, trashy Hester (Susan Hayward) as his wife, and she lives in the house while he is away. Emilie has her number right away. Hester has an affair with the oldest son, Jack (Richard Denning), and, so Adam will not find out, Emilie claims that it was she that he saw in Jack's room.

Well, the big question any viewer will have is, why did Adam send for Emilie to return when his kids were grown and, in fact, about to go off and fight a war? And what the heck was Emilie doing all those years? This may be what is missing in the 25 minutes that were cut. My hunch is that Emilie continued to work as a governess, and probably even turned down a couple of offers of marriage, because she had fallen in love with Adam. When he sends for her, it's because he needs her to run his household. But I'm guessing because we see none of that.

Ingrid Bergman is beautiful and charming, and she has excellent scenes with Susan Hayward, who is a real spitfire. Richard Denning makes a strong impression as Jack, and Warner Baxter is very good as Adam, a gentle, optimistic man who loses his beloved wife. Fay Wray is the wife, and she, too, is quite beautiful but doesn't have a huge role.

This is an enjoyable movie if you fill in the story so it makes sense.

Warner Baxter plays Adam, and he has four sons: Richard Denning, Johnny Downs, Robert Shaw, and Charles Lind. He's in charge of a grand estate, but when his wife dies and his fortune is wiped out, he has to scramble to be able to afford his lifestyle again. Ingrid Bergman plays the governess who helps him pick up the pieces of his struggling family. When the boys grow up, some marry and some enlist in WWI-what will happen to the family dynamic?

If you like movies about governesses sent in to take care of a brood of children, you'll probably like this one. It's got all the elements: struggles with the children, eventual acceptance and bonding, a little romance with the father, and family tensions when the children grow up. Ingrid is always very good when playing someone strong, so if you're a fan, you won't be disappointed in her performance in Adam Had Four Sons. Even though the title features Warner Baxter's name, it's Ingrid who's the star of the show. She may be only the governess, but she's the glue that keeps everyone together. And keep on the lookout for a young Susan Hayward in one of her first major roles. She's beautiful and cunning, and it's amazing that she wasn't forever typecast as a villain after a movie like this!

Ingrid Bergman is hired as a governess for the Stoddard's. Warner Baxter plays the father of this family. The film journey's through the death of the mother, stock market crash and the marriage of one of the sons to a free spirited wife. Susan Hayward is very entertaining as bad girl Hester. Enjoyable face off between Bergman and Hayward.

I only watched this film because Ingrid Bergman was in it. And because I Knew that Bergman wasn't fond of it, and that general opinion was so so, I expected it to not be up to much but I ended up being pleasantly surprised by how good a film it is. The performances are all good especially Bergman (of Course), Baxter and Heyward and the film cruises along at quick pace with no scenes dragging. If I have a problem with the film it's that it's a bit short at an 80 mins but apparently it was originally 108 mins, if this is true then it's shocking that over 25 mins were cut out. I'd like to know if it's possible to put the footage back in or if it has been destroyed. If it isn't destroyed then in the video age it should be released on video in it's original length. 9/10