Adam Had Four Sons *** (1941, Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, Susan Hayward) – Classic Movie Review 10,535

Director Gregory Ratoff’s 1941 black and white Columbia Pictures family saga film Adam Had Four Sons is a classy romantic melodrama that switches from humour to tears, and from seduction to betrayal within moments.

Warner Baxter stars as wealthy widower Adam Stoddard who brings up his four sons with the help of French governess Emilie Gallatin (Ingrid Bergman) while fighting off the destructive charms of hussy Hester (Susan Hayward).

There is a trio of admirably smart star performances, as well as a bunch of fine support players (Richard Denning, Fay Wray, Helen Westley, June Lockhart, Clarence Muse), and Ratoff keeps the plot, based on the novel Legacy by Charles Bonner, trotting along nicely. Strong as Bergman is, the young Hayward is quite the screen stealer.

The teenager boys are: Jack Stoddard (Billy Ray), David Stoddard (Steven Muller), Chris Stoddard (Wallace Chadwell), and Phillip Stoddard (Bobby Walberg).

The older boys are: Jack Stoddard (Richard Denning), David Stoddard (Johnny Downs), Chris Stoddard (Robert Shaw), and Phillip Stoddard (Charles Lind).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,535

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