Adam Had Four Sons
Encyclopedia
Adam Had Four Sons is a 1941 drama and romance film, starring Ingrid Bergman
, Warner Baxter
, and Susan Hayward
.
One son returns with his new wife, Hester, (played by Hayward), who turns out be a conniving woman who wants to rule the roost. She schemes to rid the home of Emilie, while she seduces another son, Jack, when her husband is at war. Emilie discovers the affair, but keeps quiet to preserve Adam's happiness and the brother's reputation, pretending to Adam that she was the one involved with Jack.
Ultimately, all is discovered, and Hester receives her comeuppance. Emilie and Adam become engaged and all ends happily.
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
, Warner Baxter
Warner Baxter
Warner Leroy Baxter was an American actor, known for his role as The Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona , for which he won the second Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1928–1929 Academy Awards. Warner Baxter started his movie career in silent movies...
, and Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward was an American actress.After working as a fashion model in New York, Hayward travelled to Hollywood in 1937 when open auditions were held for the leading role in Gone with the Wind . Although she was not selected, she secured a film contract, and played several small supporting...
.
Plot
Warner Baxter portrays the wealthy, easy-going patriarch of a family that falls on hard times after the death of his wife and a stock market crash that wipes out his wealth. Recently arrived governess Emilie (played by Bergman) works to keep the family together. But with the loss of Adam Stoddards fortune the boys are off to a boarding school financed by a wealthy cousin, and Emilie must return to France until Adam (played by Baxter) can afford to repurchase the family estate and recall Emilie to look after it. Reversing his fortunes takes several years. The three older boys are in the service for World War One; Then, just as everything is getting back to the former status...One son returns with his new wife, Hester, (played by Hayward), who turns out be a conniving woman who wants to rule the roost. She schemes to rid the home of Emilie, while she seduces another son, Jack, when her husband is at war. Emilie discovers the affair, but keeps quiet to preserve Adam's happiness and the brother's reputation, pretending to Adam that she was the one involved with Jack.
Ultimately, all is discovered, and Hester receives her comeuppance. Emilie and Adam become engaged and all ends happily.
Cast
- Ingrid BergmanIngrid BergmanIngrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
- Emilie Gallatin - Warner BaxterWarner BaxterWarner Leroy Baxter was an American actor, known for his role as The Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona , for which he won the second Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1928–1929 Academy Awards. Warner Baxter started his movie career in silent movies...
- Adam Stoddard - Susan HaywardSusan HaywardSusan Hayward was an American actress.After working as a fashion model in New York, Hayward travelled to Hollywood in 1937 when open auditions were held for the leading role in Gone with the Wind . Although she was not selected, she secured a film contract, and played several small supporting...
- Hester Stoddard - Fay WrayFay WrayFay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
- Molly Stoddard - Richard DenningRichard DenningRichard Denning , was an American actor who starred in such movies as Creature from the Black Lagoon and An Affair to Remember , and on radio with Lucille Ball as her husband George Cooper in My Favorite Husband , the forerunner of television's I Love Lucy, for which Denning was replaced by Ball's...
- Jack Stoddard - Johnny DownsJohnny DownsJohnny Downs was an American actor. Son of a Naval aviator, he was taken to Hollywood in 1921 when his father was transferred to the San Diego naval base. He began his career as a child actor, most notably playing Johnny in the Our Gang short series from 1923 to 1926...
- David Stoddard - Robert ShawRobert Shaw (American actor)Robert Shaw , born Robert Gottschall, was an American actor.-Filmography:* The Sky's No Limit - Dr...
- Christopher Stoddard - Charles Lind - Phillip Stoddard
- Helen WestleyHelen WestleyHelen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
- Cousin Phillipa - June LockhartJune LockhartJune Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
- Vance - Pietro Sosso - Otto