Le Chant des cloches

I don't mind well-acted sentimentality. And Jean Hersholt and Don Ameche do a beautiful job in this early Twentieth Century Fox movie, Sins of Man from 1936.

Hersholt plays Christopher Freyman, a widower with two sons. He is an Austrian church bell ringer, and he harbors hopes -- even expectation - that his son Karl (Ameche) will follow in his footsteps. Karl, however, is interested in aeronautics and wants to study engineering. Karl goes to New York City to study and work. Christopher announces that Karl is dead to him.

His younger son Gabriel is deaf. There isn't anything that can be done for him, as Christopher can't afford to take his son to a doctor in Berlin or to one in New York City.

Eventually Christopher breaks down and has communcation with Karl. Karl wants him to come to New York and to post a bond so that Gabriel can enter the country and receive treatment. Karl's firm will loan him the money.

Tragedy strikes, and Karl is killed when a plane he is piloting crashes. This leaves Christopher stranded, as World War I has now broken out. The town the Frymans lived in has been destroyed. Karl doesn't know what happened to Gabriel.

He lives by taking menial jobs like washing dishes and hangs out on the Bowery, where he has a good friend (Allen Jenkins). One day he hears a recording - the composition has bells, just like Christopher played in Austria. When the conductor arrives in New York, Christopher is desperate to meet him.

I thought this was a beautiful film. It seems that since COVID, the new films are very dark and depressing. I would have thought the stories would have been more hopeful, perhaps with some comedy, raising people's spirits. Instead, as my sister says, "People just can't pull out of it."

A little sentimentality, a little happiness can't hurt. Might even help.

Jean Hersholt stars in Sins of Man as a music lover in a small town in Austria. He rings the bells for church and wants his sons to follow in his footsteps. But his older son is far more interested in books and aviation than singing in the choir. Then, when a second son is born and takes the life of his wife, Jean puts all his hopes in his musical gifts. Tragedy strikes a second time: the baby is deaf.

This movie is a saga that spans decades, so I don't really want to tell you too much more about it. Jean does a wonderful job, playing an extremely stern father who nurses deep hurt inside him. When his older son, Don Ameche, leaves for America to study aviation, he cuts him off and refuses all communications. But it pains him terribly, and he breaks down and cries when he overhears one of Don's letters being read aloud. So, if you like Jean's memorable turn as Grandfather in Heidi, you might be interested in seeing him playing a heavy dramatic lead.

The best part of this movie is the very, very end. After "The End", there's a special message from the studio. "This picture has introduced to you a new Twentieth Century Fox screen personality, Mr. Don Ameche," precedes a few seconds of footage of Don smiling into the camera. It's so cute! If you're a fan of his, you've got to check out his first movie. If you're just looking for a great old drama, this one is a little bit corny and needlessly sad, so stick with your old favorites Stella Dallas and Now, Voyager.

While there are MANY story elements that are departures from the plot, the story really seems to be a reworking of the Warner Brothers film "The Jazz Singer". Of course Twentieth Century-Fox wouldn't admit this...but it's pretty clear as you watch.

Christopher (Jean Hersholt) is a bellringer in his local church and expects his sons to do the same. But the oldest, Karl, is bookish and wants more out of life than being paid to ring bells or lead the church choir like his dad. And, the youngest, Gabriel, is deaf and so following in his dad's footsteps seems unrealistic. So, Christopher puts a lot of pressure on Karl to be just like him...to the point that he drives his oldest son away to America. Christopher then disowns Karl. What's next? Well, eventually Karl and Christopher become reunited...and the plot then is all original and not based on "The Jazz Singer"...and it's very interesting and sometimes heartbreaking.

The plot to "The Jazz Singer" is similar to the first half of this movie, as I mentioned above. A synogogue's cantor expects his son to be one as well. But when the boy grows and wants to sing popular music, his father disowns him...saying "I haff no son"...much like Christopher. And, it leads to a weepy finale...one that IS sappy...but very good and enjoyable sappy.

This turns out to be Don Ameche's first starring film...his previous two had been small uncredited parts. But the real star is Hersholt, who plays a flawed man...but plays him with heart and a lot of realism.

The film is very good...better than "The Jazz Singer"...whose plot seemed old fashioned even when it debuted in 1927! This one is tough to believe...but so beautifully made you won't care. Hersholt's acting is supurb and the story mildly enjoyable...even if Gabriel's fate is a bit hard to believe.

By the way, one mistake in the film is an easy one to make. When Gabriel doesn't cry as a child, it's chalked up to him being deaf. Well, deaf kids DO cry...a lot in some cases. From my own family experiences and being around other deaf babies, I know this to be the case. It's only later that crying gradually diminishes...but doesn't disappear completely.