Edward, My Son (1949)

Réalisateur:

George Cukor

Scénaristes:

Robert Morley (play) and
Noel Langley (play) ...

Date de sortie:

juin 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drame

Accroche:

Broadway Stage Hit . . . Now on the Screen !

Intrigue:

Arnold Boult is determined to make his son a success at all costs. He commits arson, causes two suicides...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Breaking The Fourth Wall | Based On Play | Character Name In Title

Récompenses:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Avis des utilisateurs:

Another great performance by Deborah Kerr

Ensemble

Spencer Tracy	...	Arnold Boult
Deborah Kerr	...	Evelyn Boult
Ian Hunter	...	Doctor Larry Woodhope
James Donald	...	Bronton
Mervyn Johns	...	Harry Sempkin
Leueen MacGrath	...	Eileen Perrin
Felix Aylmer	...	Mr. Hanray
Walter Fitzgerald	...	Mr. Kedner
Tilsa Page	...	Betty Foxley
Ernest Jay	...	Walter Prothin
Colin Gordon	...	Ellerby
Harriette Johns	...	Phyllis Mayden
Julian D'Albie	...	Summers
Clement McCallum	...	Sergeant Kenyon

Durée:

112 min

Pays:

UK | USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Rapport de forme:

1,37 : 1

Son:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Classification:

UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-16

Lieux de tournage:

England, UK

Société:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Anecdotes:

Leueen MacGrath repeats her stage role from the Broadway production, although her character's surname has been changed.

Connexions De Film:

figure dans Some of the Best (1949)

Another great performance by Deborah Kerr

My parents were movie buffs and I grew up watching films. I am a devoted Deborah Kerr fan since childhood, and I thought I had seen all her important films; but I had missed "Edward, My Son", which I watched recently on TV. An admirer of Miss Kerr's poise, beauty, and professionalism, of her subtly conveyed emotional intensity and compassionate lucidity (undoubtedly buttressed by her choice of roles, especially in the fifties and sixties), I was blown away by the sheer brilliance of her performance in this film. I give part of the credit for her success to George Cukor's directorial efforts; Mr. Cukor was indeed a "women's director", largely responsible for Katharine Hepburn's early success, and for guiding (among others) Vivien Leigh, Judy Holliday, and Miss Kerr through Oscar-winning or nominated screen performances.

The film's plot, in my opinion, is clever. Edward is a strong a presence as Sebastian in "Suddenly Last Summer", although his face is never shown. The moral disintegration of a marriage and of a loving wife is effectively narrated, particularly thanks to Deborah Kerr's stunning performance. It is sad to think this is only the first of many Oscars stolen from her throughout her movie career.

It has always appeared as a mystery to me why Hollywood moguls believed Spencer Tracy was a versatile actor. Although he is always believable as a nice, warm "everyman" in most of his films, I think his range was (to say the least) limited. One can't help but wonder what a more expressive actor of his generation, such as Fredric March, would have done with the character of Sir Arnold Boult. Among English actors, my personal choices would have been Michael Redgrave or Ralph Richardson; but it was, after all, an MGM movie. At least Tracy is not as miscast as, for example, Gregory Peck (another actor of limited range)playing an English barrister in "The Paradine Case".

The supporting cast was excellent,in my opinion; especially the actress who played Sir Arnold's secretary and mistress, and the dependable Felix Aylmer.

"Edward, My Son" does not betray its theatrical origins and is an unusually somber film, considering MGM's usual emphasis on visual charm and gloss.