La famille Stoddard

ADAM HAD FOUR SONS (Columbia, 1941), directed by Gregory Ratoff, could easily be mistaken for a Biblical story about Adam and Eve and their offsprings, starting with Cain and Abel, but it isn't. Taken from the novel "Legacy" by Charles Bonner, it's a turn of the century tale about a family man with a wife and four sons living in Connecticut, and how a French governess becomes part of their lives.

The story begins in 1905 with the Stoddard family, consisting of Adam (Warner Baxter), Molly (Fay Wray), and their four sons, Jack (Billy Day), David (Steven Muller), Charles (Wallace Chadwell) and Philip (Bobby Walberg) posing for their family portrait. Later the Stoddards head for the train station to greet their new French governess, Emilie Gallatin (Ingrid Bergman). Surprised to find her so young, she immediately makes a good impression with the family. During a family Thanksgiving, Molly becomes ill and later dies. Adam, finding it hard to go on without his wife, sells his house, sends his boys, except for the youngest, away to school, but most of all, his hardest decision in sending Emilie back to her homeland. Years pass. With the Stoddard company a success, Adam purchases his former home and remodels it, but most of all, sends for Emilie to return to her former household position. It is now 1918 and the boys, David (Johnny Downs), Jack (Richard Denning), Philip (Charles Lind) and Charles (Robert Shaw) have grown to fine young men. The surprise comes when David returns home with Hester (Susan Hayward), his bride. Hester remains in the Stoddard home while David goes off to war. While the men like Hester, both Emilie and the visiting Cousin Phillipa (Helen Westley) take an immediate dislike to her, for reasons of their own. Their hunches are proved correct when the family becomes more divided than together because of Hester, and it's now up to Emilie to do something about it before it is too late. June Lockhart (Vance), the girl next door who likes Philip; Pietro Sosso (Otto); Gilbert Emery (Doctor Lane); Renie Riano (Miss Bonson); Clarence Muse and William B. Davidson also complete the cast.

A good story that, by today's standards, is completely underrated and forgotten through the passage of time. Maybe the title or fact that having the audience accept the Swedish born Ingrid Bergman playing a French governess instead of a Swedish one might have something to do with it. For her second movie role in America, Bergman was popular enough to award feature billing over such veteran performers as Warner Baxter and Fay Wray. While Bergman doesn't really age through the passage of time, at least Baxter gets his limited share of gray hair around his temples. Of the members of the cast, the one who gathers the most attention is the young and youthful Susan Hayward. Having been in movies for a short time, her role as Hester allows her to improve her ability as an actress, and make the most of it around such a capable cast before becoming a major actress herself by the end of the decade to the next. Another added bonus to this production is having the characters dress according to time frame rather than wearing 1941 costumes and headdresses for an early 1900s setting. One surprise is to how small Fay Wray's (star of the legendary 1933 classic KING KONG) role was for this production.

A fine family film where the attention falling mostly Hayward's character, ADAM HAD FOUR SONS at least did get its share of revivals over the years through home video distributions as early as 1984, (much later on DVD), followed by rare cable broadcasts as Turner Network Television (TNT) in 1992, and Turner Classic Movies where the film has been showing occasionally since August 29, 2006. For anyone who's never seen nor heard of this movie, should give it a try. (***)

"Adam Had Four Sons" (1941) is a perfect movie for folks who enjoy watching stars performing early in their careers. In this film, there are four such performances to draw the viewer's attention. The story here concerns the quaint Connecticut household headed by Warner Baxter and Fay Wray in 1907, and the French governess (Ingrid Bergman, in her second American film) who is brought in to care for their four young boys. Years later, trouble brews when one of the boys brings home a new wife, Susan Hayward, "the Brooklyn Bombshell," in one of her earliest screen roles. Hayward wastes no time in becoming drunken, bitchy and flirtatious, especially with the hunky eldest brother, Richard Denning, in one of HIS earlier roles. Need I even mention that a Grade A confrontation looms between the protective governess and the interloping bad girl? This is actually a very warm little movie, with nice performances by all; an involving, over-the-years type of story; and handsome production values. The three lead actresses look as beautiful as one could wish for, especially Hayward. Honestly...has there EVER been an actress with such a combination of drop-dead good looks and sheer acting ability? Not for me, anyway. But in this picture, our sympathies are completely with Bergman, and she is just radiant and lovely in her sweet role. The contrast between the two is quite striking here; what a shame that these wonderful actresses never worked together again. Anyway, I really did enjoy this movie and do recommend it to all IMDb viewers. Oh, I almost forgot. A 16-year-old June Lockhart also appears in this film; yet another early performance to relish!

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... JUST before casablanca. Emilie is the governess for the stoddard family. Four boys.. a handful. Fay wray and warner baxter are mom and dad, but when tragedy strikes, emille must take on a much larger role. And the stock market crash didn't make things any easier. Co-stars a young susan hayward. She marries one brother, but really wants another. Emilie is onto them, but isn't sure what to do about it. An awkward position. Things start slowly, but really pick up about halfway through. It is the beautiful ingrid b, and she lights up any film. Story of love and sacrifice. Good stuff, once it gets going. Based on the book by charles bonner. Directed by greg ratoff. He was max fabian in all about eve, but he actually directed 30 films as well. Helen westley, the wacky, ancient, fun aunt Phillippa only lived another year after this was released.

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.