Adam Had Four Sons (1941)

Simply Perfect

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

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!

There's a certain type of woman who becomes instantly territorial when she joins a family, and any other woman better watch their step, even if it's a longtime friend or employee. This family saga starts in the early 1900's when Ingrid Bergman arrives as the new nanny and makes an instant impression on Warner Baxter, Fay Way and the four young boys who are instantly crazy about her. She's loyal, loving and gains their trust quickly. But happiness is only fleeting, and soon the widowed Baxter finds himself alone and in financial difficulties. The years go by and when the first world war begins, one of the boys returns with a wife (Susan Hayward) who is charming on the surface but calculating and self serving, seducing another brother out of boredom and making it clear to Bergman that she finds her presence in the household questionable. A dying relative (Helen Westley) sees right through Hayward and warns Bergman about her. Keeping secrets but remaining loyal, Bergman becomes like a dormant volcano,  holding everything as she gets more and more disgusted with the amoral and destructive Hayward. She even takes steps to protect her simply to prevent the family from completely falling apart.With young megastar Ingrid Bergman at the pinnacle of her youth and success, she was joined by a superstar yet to come, Susan Hayward, as evil here as Bergman is noble. Even though her smiles, you can feel the wheels of Hayward's calculating brain turning, and the signs of an acting powerhouse being born. Where Bergman is subtle, Hayward is explosive, yet there is truth in both of their performances, which makes Hayward all the scarier. "My duty is to protect the family", Bergman declares, and you know it's only a matter of time before Hayward is exposed. The men here are fairly non-descript, stunned by their own stupidity in trusting a pretty, innocent looking face. Baxter is authoritative, but barely reacts when he believes that Bergman and one of the sons (Richard Denning) have been involved, even though as one of the sons points out to him, he's been in love with Bergman for a long time.As the tragic wife, Fay Wray makes the most of her few scenes as she comes to totally confide in Bergman, treating her more like a sister than an employee. Her final scene is worthy of a box of Kleenex. But as the blood boils between Bergman and Hayward, you will be longing for a huge slap (or more) as Hayward's schemes come to light. She's a modern day Messalina, closer to the character Sheila White played in "I Claudius" than the version that Hayward played in "Demetrius and the Gladiators". I just wish that Baxter had been more strong and convincing, making him the one weak link in an otherwise enjoyable melodrama.

I am a fan of this actress, more so than of Bergman, but Susan's acting was shall we say "Over the top"..It was early in her career so obviously she tried to make an impression by over acting. I later learned, some 20 minutes had been chopped from this women's picture...still what i saw and heard made no sense whatsoever. There was no plot really to speak of. What made her character act that way...? They were rich? She had no idea it would be the end of her by messing around with Jack, and then quickly for the third brother? She was a nut job, unbelievable. A bad performance. In a way, her character reminded me of Hedy Lamarr's character in "The Strange Woman", which she did pull it off as a possessive, manipulative B...h, but there was a plot involved at least. I later found out that Susan and Hedy were great friends. How does that saying go, "Birds of a feather, flock together"? LOL

I watched this one twice because being an Ingrid Bergman (and Fay Wray) fan, I was wondering why she would have ever agreed to do this turkey. The only reason I can think of is that it was early in her career and she had no choice. On the other hand she was the headliner so it would seem she must have had some pull.But I digress. The story is not a bad one albeit a tad hard to believe. You have a young woman arrive from France as governess for the family's four boys, the family's wealth evaporates, the governess returns home, WWI erupts and unfolds, ten years pass, and the governess is asked back. Give me a break! Why would they want her back, to care for the now practically grown sons? Why would she want to come back, didn't she have a life during those ten years other than pine for the patriarch she fell in love with? This premise is just way too weak to be taken seriously. Call me a grinch but it's hard to believe she had no offers during that time.It also turns out everyone involved is clearly clairvoyant. They understand things on first sight. When Emilie (Bergman) meets Hester (Hayward) she immediately divines that she is a viper. That's just one example, there's lots more. Without words or background people intimate facts not in evidence and the story moves on. I guess this has to do with character development and unfortunately there's little of that here.And then there's Warren Baxter, an actor with just one expression: a wooden one. The only reason I've ever watched a film with him was because of his co-stars. We have three here: Bergman of course, classy Fay Wray who is as beautiful as ever and always a joy to watch, and Susan Hayward in only her fifth credited part. The male parts are all forgettable, it's the women who rule this film. The tension between Bergman and Hayward is palpable although not entirely understandable. Still it adds a little spice to a yawning bore of a film so I guess that may be one reason to sit through the first half when nothing happens.