IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
A governess becomes the center of a wealthy family after her employer's wife dies.A governess becomes the center of a wealthy family after her employer's wife dies.A governess becomes the center of a wealthy family after her employer's wife dies.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIngrid Bergman, making only her second American film, was borrowed from David O. Selznick Productions to appear in the film. Director Gregory Ratoff also directed Bergman's first American film, a Selznick picture entitled Intermezzo (1939). Writing about Adam Had Four Sons in her autobiography, Bergman said, "At last something my teeth could bite into, but it was not such a good apple. We had a script to work with but the dialogue was made up minute by minute as we went along, and they had no idea how to end the picture. Ruth Roberts [her dialogue coach] was an enormous help, and great affection for the crazy Gregory Ratoff, so it all left a very pleasant souvenir."
- GoofsEmilie returns to the U.S.A from France on a British cruise ship during WWI. Due to the danger posed by German U-boats, especially after the sinking of the Lusitania, cruise ships passages in the Atlantic were ceased until the war's end.
- Quotes
Hester Stoddard: What are we drinking for - to stay sober?
- Crazy creditsThe movie begins when a photograph in the opening credits comes to life.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Break-Up Artist (2009)
Featured review
lovely film, if on the short side
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.
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.
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- blanche-2
- Apr 15, 2011
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Legacy
- Filming locations
- Palms Railway Station, Palms, California, USA(Opening train station scene, as Stoneville.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $488,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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