TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Tacticalin An absolute waste of money

HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

mark.waltz 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.

mbrachman Fay Wray (yes, her, the blonde from the 1933 "King Kong," still the only KK worth watching) plays the materfamilias in this family romance/melodrama. Unfortunately, she dies off from one of those romantic-era illnesses early on, leaving the family involved to the not-so-tender mercies of the scheming Susan Hayworth, who faces off against the virtuous Ingrid Bergman as the new family governess (in what was only Bergman's second U.S. film role). Hayworth is good as the greedy girl who turns the head of one of the sons of the title, and marries him, while carrying on an affair with one of his brothers. Worthwhile film but a bit predictable and corny.

blanche-2 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.

it_teach20 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.